Citizen staff
The Kelowna Rockets picked up where they left off last weekend and put another dent in the pride of the Prince George Cougars.
They scored three unanswered goals and defeated the Cats 5-2 Friday night in Kelowna.
The Rockets broke a 2-2 deadlock in the second period on goals from Calvin Thurkauf, Justin Kirkland and Nick Merkley (on a two-man advantage) to hand the Cougars their fifth loss of the season.
Brogan O'Brien staked the Cougars to a 1-0 lead 16 minutes into the game on a shorthanded breakaway, beating Michael Herringer for his third goal of the season. Rockets centre Dillon Dube tied it up just before the intermission, then gave the Rockets their first lead 1:44 into the second period, knocking in a rebound past Mack Shields, who drew his third consecutive start in the Cougars nets. But the Cougars weren't bothered and answered right back with the equalizer from Jared Bethune with 4:37 gone in the period after Colby McAuley held the puck in the Kelowna zone.
The 17-year-old Dube, ranked as a potential first-round NHL pick in the 2016 draft, continued to be a thorn in the side of the Cougars. He drew an assist, his 15th point in 10 games, on a Calvin Thurkauf goal to make it a 3-2 game 7:47 into the middle frame.
The Rockets beat the Cougars 6-2 last Saturday after losing the first game 3-0 Friday in Prince George.
The Rockets fired 30 shots Friday at Shields, who allowed just two goals while posting back-to-back victories over the Calgary Hitmen Tuesday and Wednesday in Prince George. Shields made 23 saves in a 5-0 shutout in the second game.
The Cougars outshot Kelowna 31-30 on Friday.
LOOSE PUCKS: Cougars right winger Bartek Bison served the first of a two-game suspension for his hit on Hitmen defenceman Colby Harmsworth in Wednesday's game at CN Centre. The Cougars were also without injured defenceman Max Martin (shoulder surgery) and centre Jordan Ross (lower body). Defencemen Luka Zorko and Joel Lakusta were healthy scratches. Kelowna was missing centre Rourke Chartier (upper-body), defenceman Jonathan Smart (upper body), and left winger Tanner Wishnowksi (upper body)... The Cats are in Vancouver to play the Giants Sunday (2 p.m. start).
