The West Coast Avalanche stopped the Northland Dodge Northern Female Cougars in their tracks Saturday in Coquitlam.
The Avs defeated the Cougars 6-1 to snap a 16-game winning streak the Prince George-based team was riding in the B.C. Hockey Female Major Midget League.
It was only the third loss of the season suffered by the first-place Cougars which was sandwiched by a pair of wins (3-1 Friday, and 5-3 Saturday) by the visiting team.
The Cougars earned four out of a possible six points in the three-game set and remain in first place atop the league at 18-3-0 and 36 points. The Avs are in second place at 14-6-1 with 29 points.
"It was a pretty good weekend for us and we'll take the two wins," said Cougars head coach Mario Desjardins. "It was a reality check for us on Saturday and sometimes it's good to lose in order for us to win.
"The Avalanche came out strong [on Saturday] and they needed to win and we came out flat and couldn't respond."
Friday night, the Cougars extended their 15-game winning streak to 16 with a 3-1 victory.
Sage Desjardins and Marissa Nichol set up Ava Keis to tally the first goal of the game and the Cougars padded their lead in the second frame with a goal from stalwart defenceman Jayden Malgunas who returned to action for the first time this season after recuperating from a knee injury.
The Avs responded late in the period with a goal to stay in the game and came out flying in the third period until defenceman Victoria Byer pinched in from the point and took a pass from Jocelyn Forrest to score the Cougars' third goal.
Kelsey Roberts, who returned to the crease after an injury, backstopped the Cougars in net, stopping 21 shots as her offence peppered 34 shots on the Avs net.
Saturday, the Avalanche smothered the Cougars with a fast start and skated out to a 3-0 lead until late in the second period. That's when Keis scored from Sage Desjardins and Nichol to make it 3-1. The Cougars rally didn't materialize and the Avalanche added two more goals as they fired 42 shots on netminder Roberts.
Stephanie Hogg stopped 24 of 25 shots for the Avs, many at close range to earn the win.
Sunday morning, the Cougars rebounded from Saturday's loss when they built a 3-1 lead in the first period with goals from defenceman Sydney Jordan, and forwards Madison Fjellstrom and Taylor Beck.
Hunter Mosher made it 4-1, and after the Avs responded to narrow the lead to two, she tallied the team's fifth goal. She also added an assist for a three-point game.
The Avalanche scored late in the game on a five-on-three power play, but couldn't complete the comeback.
Fjellstrom, Nichol and Chantelle Beadman-Rolph each added two helpers.
Roberts swept aside 22 of 24 shots for the Cougars, while her counterpart Hogg made 29 saves in a losing cause.
"We now have control over our own fate for home ice advantage in the playoffs," said Desjardins. "The top-two teams have a bye in the first round and will get home ice in the second round."
The Cougars have this weekend off which allows players from outside of Prince George to return home. They resume practice on the ice Dec. 2 for the next two weeks prior to competing at the Mandi Schwartz tournament hosted by the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask.
Coach Desjardins said the showcase tournament features 16 triple-A female hockey teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, B.C. and Alberta and is scouted by NCAA and Canadian Interuniversity Sport hockey squads.
After hosting the Vancouver Island Hurricanes Dec. 20 and 21, the Cougars will then travel to Calgary on Dec. 25 to compete in the Mac's Midget tournament that begins Boxing Day.
