Brandon Magee has done it again.
He's made a career out of being the nemesis of the Prince George Cougars and once again provided the difference, dooming the Cougars to their second-straight Western Hockey League playoff loss to the Victoria Royals.
Magee finished off a 3-on-2 rush with a wrist shot that snuck into the net under the blocker of Cougars goalie Ty Edmonds with 4:13 left to play -- his second goal of the game and fifth of the series -- the winner in a 5-4 decision Saturday in Victoria.
The Royals now lead the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series 2-0. Games 3 and 4 are in Prince George Wednesday and Thursday.
Magee's late-game flurry spoiled a two-goal outing from Cougars defenceman Tate Olson, whose third power-play goal of the series early in the third period got the Cougars back on even terms.
The Cougars outshot Victoria 34-25. They also won the special teams battles, going 2-for-6 on the power play and holding the Royals off the scoreboard on their three power-play chances. In the series, the Cats are 5-for-9 on the power play, while Victoria is 0-for-5.
Edmonds, whose outstanding goaltending over the past two months of the season helped the Cougars reach the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, blamed himself for both losses. The 18-year-old from Winnipeg gave up five goals on 25 shots Saturday and was in net for four of the Royals' goals in their 5-3 Game 1 victory Friday.
"We played well offensively, just a couple defensive breakdowns and I wasn't there to do my part, so the loss falls on my shoulders tonight," said Edmonds. "I just wasn't there to make the saves. I know I've got to be better so I know I'll be improved for Wednesday. The team was there for me offensively but I have to be there defensively to help them out.
"I thought I was prepared, but I have to come out and play like I did the last half of the season and just continue on when we get back to Prince George."
The Cougars came from behind twice in the third period Saturday to tie the game but couldn't solve Magee. He took a pass from former Cougar Alex Forsberg to score the winner, less than two minutes after Cougars right winger Chase Witala knotted the score by pouncing on a rebound for his second of the playoffs.
Magee gave the Royals a 4-3 lead 11:51 into the third period when he stole the puck out of the corner and avoided Edmonds' poke check attempt for his fourth goal of the series. The 21-year-old Edmonton native now has 22 goals and 28 assists for 50 points in 38 career games against the Cougars. He scored three goals, including the winner on Friday, and also had an assist.
"He's a good player but we just have to bear down defensively when we get back to Prince George and we'll be fine," said Edmonds.
Olson got the Cougars on the scoreboard to cut the deficit to 2-1, after Jack Walker banged in a loose puck in the first period and Tyler Soy scored in the second period with a shot through the legs of Edmonds. Olson, 18, had just five goals in 68 games this season and now has three in the playoffs. Greg Chase, for the Royals, and Zach Pochiro, for the Cougars, also found the net in the second period.
"It was tough to lose, we played for 60 minutes but we had moments where we made individual mistakes and the pucks end up in our net," said Cougars assistant coach Roman Vopat. "In the playoffs, the team that makes the least amount of mistakes is the one that ends up winning and we made one more than they did and unfortunately we lost again tonight.
"We have an extremely young team compared to the Victoria team and we always found a way to get back into the game. But if we eliminate the mistakes we're going to win."
The Cougars are expecting near-sellout crowds this week at CN Centre and that should help help them forget about their two losses to start the series. Vopat remembers how intimidating it was to play against the Cougars with the stands full back in the mid-1990s when he was a centre with Moose Jaw and Prince Albert.
"When I played in P.G. it was a sold-out house and it was a tough, tough building to play in and that's what we expect," said Vopat. "The city of Prince George is excited for us to make the playoffs. They're going to be pumped and the house will be rockin' and if they come and support us they won't be disappointed."
