The well is running dry on the Prince George Cougars.
They were left licking their chops Sunday in the WHL hub in Kamloops after a 2-1 loss to the visiting Kelowna Rockets.
That came less than 24 hours after the Cats were forced to swallow a 2-1 loss in Kelowna Saturday to the Victoria Royals.
The Rockets scored twice in the first period to take control and despite outshooting Kelowna 31-25 the Cougars did not have what it took to light the lamp.
Cole Schwebius made 30 saves to notch his fifth victory in eight games in the Kelowna nets.
With just one game left in the season for each team, the Rockets won the season series 3-1.
The Rockets (9-4-1-0) scored twice in the opening period to get the jump on the Cats. Alex Swetlikoff connected on a Kelowna power play 9:29 into the game and David Kope followed that with an even-strength goal at 13:15. Trevor Wong had two assists in a first-star performance.
The Cougars outplayed the Rockets in the second period but came away empty-handed, missing out on some great chances and their lack of finish came back to haunt them.
They came on strong in the third period and were finally rewarded with a goal, while on their sixth power play of the game. Majid Kaddoura skated deep into the Rockets’ end and was set up in the circle for a one-timer on a pass from Kyren Gronick. It was the second goal of the season for the Cougar defenceman and they continued to pour it on.
They outshot the Rockets 11-2 through the first 12 minutes of the third but seemed to lose their forward momentum after the mid-period media time-out. The Rockets tightened up considerably in the latter stages of the game, only rarely allowing the Cougars a sniff of the goal cage mesh behind Schwebius. Tyson Upper had a shot at an open net in the dying seconds but put his shot high off the glass and the buzzer sounded on what was the ninth loss of the season for the Cougars. Their record dipped to 9-9-2-1.
Cats goalie Taylor Gauthier lost for the first time in his last six starts. He blocked 23 shots.
The Cats will close out their 22-game season on Wednesday when they take on the B.C. Division-champion Kamloops Blazers in Kamloops. Game time is 7 p.m. The Rockets will play just 17 games this season. Their season was cut short after they were shut down for two weeks when several players and team staff rested positive for COVID-19 in late-March. The Rockets complete their schedule against Victoria on Wednesday in Kelowna.
