Never before in the 14-year-history of the Spirit of Hockey and Community Cup was a shootout needed to decide high school bragging rights.
Until Friday.
The goaltending was just too good at both ends of the ice. After 60 minutes of regulation time and two five-minute overtime sessions, the Prince George Polars and College Heights Cougars found themselves in a showdown, and it didn't take long to settle it.
Braeden Young and Brandon Dent both found the net with their deke attempts on College Heights goalie Jacob Drapeau, and at the other end, PGSS goalie Zach Parlee slammed the door shut on Cougar shooters Noah Goyer and Tyler Marsh to seal a 2-1 win.
The Polars retained possession of the Cup they won a year ago and now have won the title 10 of the 14 years.
Both teams fed off the energy of a CN Centre crowd of about 1,200 mostly elementary school students and the chances went back and forth in what was an evenly-played game from start to finish. The Cougars opened the scoring midway through the first period - Dawson Brienen took a drop pass at the line from Goyer and whipped a wrister that beat Parlee, who played all but the second period, when Holden Taylor took over in the PGSS crease and played 20 minutes of shutout hockey.
On the first shift of the second period, Polars forward Logan Archer slid the puck along the ice through the legs of Cougars goalie Josh Adams, the only goal Adams allowed while playing half the game in the College Heights net. Adams twice denied the Polars on breakaways in the first period, frustrating the scoring attempts of Dent and Kyle Boshier.
Drapeau kept it a 1-1 game with a series of superb saves to allow the Cougars to survive a determined PGSS power play with three minutes left in the third period.
The Cougars had a great chance to end it three minutes into the first overtime when the puck went through the legs of goalie Parlee and trickled out to forward Branther Federucci, whose shot at an open net was deflected out of harm's way.
"Both overtimes were back-and-forth hockey with great scoring chances at both ends - the goalies were making some unbelievable saves - and fortunately or unfortunately, whichever side or school you were on, it went to a shootout," said College Heights principal Randy Halpape. "PGSS made a couple of excellent moves around our goaltender and were able to bury the puck.
"Both sides of CN Centre were filled with energy from the elementary schools and I wanted to thank them for participating in the game as well because we are a family of schools and to have them there putting that energy into the game was great to see. It was a big crowd and loud crowd and both teams represented their schools very well."
After the game, Polars right winger Austin Guignard and centre Jaden French, both Grade 11 players involved in rep hockey with the midget Tier 2 LJ Contracting Cougars, were looking forward to stoking the rivalry when they see their College Heights friends again, knowing the Polars own bragging rights until the teams meet again next December.
"It makes me happy," said French. "It's pride. It was just really nice to win."
PGSS coach Renzo Berra had praise for both teams - especially the goaltenders.
"It was super-exciting - the teams were balanced and both teams' goalies played extremely well," he said. "The kids, even on the College Heights team, were grinning ear-to-ear after the game for the excitement. They were obviously disappointed they lost but super-excited to be part of the experience. They realized in the spirit of the game, seldom at any level do you get to play in front of 1,200-plus people, all cheering and having a great time."
Both schools took the opportunity to collect winter clothing items and handed over three full large garbage bags and a box to the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
