The losing streak is over.
After tasting the agony of defeat a team-record 17 consecutive games and enduring the misery of 41 days without a victory, the Prince George Cougars finally ended up on the winning side of the ledger Friday night in Kamloops, where they beat the Blazers 2-1 in a shootout.
Ethan Browne and Vladislav Mikhalchuk both scored on Blazers goalie Dylan Ferguson, after five minutes of overtime decided nothing. At the other end of the shootout ice, Taylor Gauthier stoned Connor Zary and Zane Franklin. Mikhakchuk's deke ended the game.
Josh Maser put the Cougars ahead early in the game when he cashed in on a power-play chance 8:13 into the first period. Maser took a centring pass from Browne just outside the crease and was stopped on his original shot but scored on the rebound.
The Blazers tied it up late when Franklin picked the corner high just inside the post with a shot from close range. That came 13:16 into the third period.
The Blazers outshot the Cougars 42-32
The Cougars hadn't won since Jan. 12, when they beat Kelowna 4-0 at CN Centre and their win Friday was the first this season against the Blazers after six losses.
The Cougars (17-35-4-3, fifth in B.C. Division) are now nine points behind the Blazers (22-28-4-2, fourth in B.C. Division). Prince George has nine games left, while Kamloops still has 12 to play.
Cougars defenceman Cole Moberg left the game with an apparent concussion late in the second period when Blazers forward Jeff Faith caught him with a late hit in the Cougars' end. Moberg, the Cougars' second-leading scorer with 11 goals and 34 points, did not return. Faith was assessed a charging penalty on the play and will likely face supplementary discipline.
The Cougars move on to Everett, where they'll face the Western Conference-leading Silvertips (41-14-1-2) tonight.
