Overtime looked like a possibility, but, instead, the Portland Winterhawks escaped with a 4-3 victory over the Prince George Cougars on Tuesday night at CN Centre.
In the game, Ty Kolle broke a 3-3 deadlock with slightly more than three minutes left in regulation time. His goal, his seventh of the campaign, gave the Winterhawks their 41st win of the Western Hockey League season and solidified their second-place standing in the U.S. Division.
Kolle, a 17-year-old from Quesnel, is a former member of the Prince George-based Cariboo Cougars.
Portland led 2-0 after the first period and the score was tied 2-2 after the second. Skyler McKenzie - with his 42nd goal of the year - pushed the Winterhawks into a 3-2 lead at 2:19 of the third period but his marker was answered almost immediately by Ilijah Colina of the Cougars, who scored his 11th.
Joachim Blichfeld and Reece Newkirk staked the Winterhawks to their 2-0 lead in the opening frame. Josh Maser - who struck for his team-leading 27th goal - and Ethan Browne answered back for the Cougars in the second. Browne's goal was his first of the season.
Former Cougars defenceman Dennis Cholowski finished with two assists for the Winterhawks and was named the game's first star.
Overall, Portland's record now stands at 41-20-1-4. Prince George, last in the B.C. Division and Western Conference, slipped to 23-35-4-4.
The teams will be back on CN Centre ice on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
