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Chiefs sink Cougars in CN Centre rematch

The Spokane Chiefs finally broke Taylor Gauthier’s spell.
Brendan Boyle.jpg
Cougars centre Brendan Boyle scored his first career WHL goal Saturday in a 5-2 loss to the Spokane Chiefs in front of a crowd of 3,027 at CN Centre.

The Spokane Chiefs finally broke Taylor Gauthier’s spell.

The Prince George Cougars goalie conjured up 101 saves in 2 1/3 games over the previous eight days and had allowed just two goals when the high-powered Chiefs got their scoring act together in the second period Saturday night at CN Centre.

The put two pucks behind Gauthier, scored three more in the third period and left with a 5-2 victory.

Michael King’s deflection on a Spokane power play, 16:56 into the third period was the difference-maker which gave them their first win in three games against the Cougars.

“You’re never happy when you have a tie game, late in the game, and you take an offensive-zone penalty to put that power play back out there, that’s just shooting yourself in the foot,” said Cougars head coach and general manager Mark Lamb.

“At that point we should have been thinking about getting a point.”

Down 2-1 late in the game, The Cougars got back on even terms just before the 13-minute mark of the third period. Brendan Boyle chipped the puck in deep and Reid Perepeluk dug it out of the corner back to the point for Cole Moberg and his shot left a rebound in front of goalie Campbell Arnold. Boyle fought off his check and slid a backhander that got through a Chiefs defenceman had just enough momentum to slip into the net between Arnold’s blades, just as Boyle’s linemate Connor Bowie rushed in from the side. The goal was originally credited to Bowie but video replay showed it was Boyle’s, the first of his WHL career in his 71st game.

“I’ll take it, it’s definitely been a long time so it’s relieving to finally get that one and I’m looking forward to hopefully getting that next one soon,” said Boyle. “I thought I got it, but at the point in time I was just excited to tie the game.”

Boyle and Bowie have taken on regular roles as penalty-killing forwards and both have been getting scoring chances lately five-on-five, playing on their respective lines. The Chiefs scored just once in six power-play chances in the two-game set.

Boyle, an 18-year from Vernon, was stopped on a breakaway in Friday’s 2-1 win over the Chiefs and just missed potting his first goal in the second period of the rematch when he got his stick on a puck that bounced high into the slot and just missed the open net with a backhander.

“I’ve got to be a guy who plays fast in on the forecheck and finishes my checks and when we take a penalty, me and Bow are the guys they count on to kill it, along with (Tyson) Upper and (Matej) Toman,” said Boyle. “I’m playing as hard as I can every chance I get and just going from there.”

King’s gamewinner came four minutes after Boyle scored, with Cougar winger Mitch Kohner serving a slashing penalty. King got his stick on Bobby Russell’s blast from the point to put the Chiefs ahead 3-2.

They scored two more, both with the Cougars net empty, but only one of those goals was technically an empty-netter. The Cougars pulled Gauthier with a little more than two minutes left but before he could get to the bench the Chiefs intercepted the puck at their own blueline. Gauthier raced to get back to his crease but net before Erik Atchison’s shot found the target. Ty Smith capped the scoring late with Gauthier on the bench.

The Chiefs improved to 5-4-1-0, while the Cougars’ record dropped to 3-6-0-1.

The Cougars weathered a 20-shot storm in the first period and came out of it with a 1-0 lead. Gauthier, who made 37 saves on Friday, was sharp again from the opening puck-drop, frustrating a Chiefs team that averaged four goals per game in their seven games this season against opponents other than the Cougars.

“That’s what we expect, we expect him to play like that every night, and when (injured goalie Tyler) Brennan’s back we expect him to play like that also,” said Lamb. “We’ve always said they’re the backbone of our team and they are.”

Josh Maser scored the opening goal, 14 minutes into the game. He snuck in behind the defence and was fed a lead pass from Mitch Kohner, standing near the wall inside the Chiefs’ zone. 

A failed clearing attempt led to the tying goal, 4:44 into the second period. Blake Swetlikoff capped a sloppy shift from the Cougars with a shot that knocked Gauthier off his feet and Chiefs’ leading pointgetter Adam Beckman snagged the rebound and dragged the puck around the fallen goalie to tuck it into the net.

The Chiefs took their first lead of the weekend, 13:18 into the second. Reed Jacobson had a Cougar checker draped all over him as he circled behind the net and swept a perfect pass out for Bear Hughes, whose low slapper had enough steam to split a seam between Gauthier’s feet.

The Cougars host the Swift Current Broncos on Tuesday take on the Kelowna Rockets Wednesday at CN Centre. The Cats will then head south to face the Tri-City Americans Saturday night and the Vancouver Giants next Sunday afternoon.

 

Saturday WHL game summary

Chiefs 5 at Cougars 2

First Period

1. Prince George, Maser 5 (Kohner, Toman) 14:00

Penalties – Toman PG (interference) 10:55, Perepeluk PG (hooking) 17:34.

Second Period

2. Spokane, Beckman 4 (Swetlikoff) 4:44

3. Spokane, Hughes 3 (Jacobson) 13:18

Penalty – Larson Spo (interference) 17:21.

Third Period

4. Prince George, Boyle 1 (Moberg, Perepeluk) 12:55

5. Spokane, King 2 (Russell, Sward) 16:56 (pp)

6. Spokane, Atchison 2 (King, Kral) 17:35

7. Spokane, Smith 4, 19:43 (en)

Penalties – Hughes Spo (tripping) 5:47, Kohner PG (slashing) 15:07.

Shots on goal by

Spokane          20        8          10        -38

Prince George6          7          6          -19

Goal – Spokane, Arnold (W,3-3-0); Prince George, Gauthier (L,2-6-0).

Referees – Stephen Campbell, Mike Langin; Linesmen – Nick Albinati, Mason Stewart.

Attendance – 3,027.

Three stars – 1. Adam Beckman, Spo; 2. Michael King, Spo; 3. Connor Bowie, PG.

The Spokane Chiefs finally broke Taylor Gauthier’s spell.

The Prince George Cougars goalie conjured up 101 saves in 2 1/3 games over the previous eight days and had allowed just two goals when the high-powered Chiefs got their scoring act together in the second period Saturday night at CN Centre.

The put two pucks behind Gauthier, scored three more in the third period and left with a 5-2 victory.

Michael King’s deflection on a Spokane power play, 16:56 into the third period was the difference-maker which gave them their first win in three games against the Cougars.

“You’re never happy when you have a tie game, late in the game, and you take an offensive-zone penalty to put that power play back out there, that’s just shooting yourself in the foot,” said Cougars head coach and general manager Mark Lamb.

“At that point we should have been thinking about getting a point.”

Down 2-1 late in the game, The Cougars got back on even terms just before the 13-minute mark of the third period. Brendan Boyle chipped the puck in deep and Reid Perepeluk dug it out of the corner back to the point for Cole Moberg and his shot left a rebound in front of goalie Campbell Arnold. Boyle fought off his check and slid a backhander that got through a Chiefs defenceman had just enough momentum to slip into the net between Arnold’s blades, just as Boyle’s linemate Connor Bowie rushed in from the side. The goal was originally credited to Bowie but video replay showed it was Boyle’s, the first of his WHL career in his 71st game.

“I’ll take it, it’s definitely been a long time so it’s relieving to finally get that one and I’m looking forward to hopefully getting that next one soon,” said Boyle. “I thought I got it, but at the point in time I was just excited to tie the game.”

Boyle and Bowie have taken on regular roles as penalty-killing forwards and both have been getting scoring chances lately five-on-five, playing on their respective lines. The Chiefs scored just once in six power-play chances in the two-game set.

Boyle, an 18-year from Vernon, was stopped on a breakaway in Friday’s 2-1 win over the Chiefs and just missed potting his first goal in the second period of the rematch when he got his stick on a puck that bounced high into the slot and just missed the open net with a backhander.

“I’ve got to be a guy who plays fast in on the forecheck and finishes my checks and when we take a penalty, me and Bow are the guys they count on to kill it, along with (Tyson) Upper and (Matej) Toman,” said Boyle. “I’m playing as hard as I can every chance I get and just going from there.”

King’s gamewinner came four minutes after Boyle scored, with Cougar winger Mitch Kohner serving a slashing penalty. King got his stick on Bobby Russell’s blast from the point to put the Chiefs ahead 3-2.

They scored two more, both with the Cougars net empty, but only one of those goals was technically an empty-netter. The Cougars pulled Gauthier with a little more than two minutes left but before he could get to the bench the Chiefs intercepted the puck at their own blueline. Gauthier raced to get back to his crease but net before Erik Atchison’s shot found the target. Ty Smith capped the scoring late with Gauthier on the bench.

The Chiefs improved to 5-4-1-0, while the Cougars’ record dropped to 3-6-0-1.

The Cougars weathered a 20-shot storm in the first period and came out of it with a 1-0 lead. Gauthier, who made 37 saves on Friday, was sharp again from the opening puck-drop, frustrating a Chiefs team that averaged four goals per game in their seven games this season against opponents other than the Cougars.

“That’s what we expect, we expect him to play like that every night, and when (injured goalie Tyler) Brennan’s back we expect him to play like that also,” said Lamb. “We’ve always said they’re the backbone of our team and they are.”

Josh Maser scored the opening goal, 14 minutes into the game. He snuck in behind the defence and was fed a lead pass from Mitch Kohner, standing near the wall inside the Chiefs’ zone. 

A failed clearing attempt led to the tying goal, 4:44 into the second period. Blake Swetlikoff capped a sloppy shift from the Cougars with a shot that knocked Gauthier off his feet and Chiefs’ leading pointgetter Adam Beckman snagged the rebound and dragged the puck around the fallen goalie to tuck it into the net.

The Chiefs took their first lead of the weekend, 13:18 into the second. Reed Jacobson had a Cougar checker draped all over him as he circled behind the net and swept a perfect pass out for Bear Hughes, whose low slapper had enough steam to split a seam between Gauthier’s feet.

The Cougars host the Swift Current Broncos on Tuesday take on the Kelowna Rockets Wednesday at CN Centre. The Cats will then head south to face the Tri-City Americans Saturday night and the Vancouver Giants next Sunday afternoon.

 

Saturday WHL game summary

Chiefs 5 at Cougars 2

First Period

1. Prince George, Maser 5 (Kohner, Toman) 14:00

Penalties – Toman PG (interference) 10:55, Perepeluk PG (hooking) 17:34.

Second Period

2. Spokane, Beckman 4 (Swetlikoff) 4:44

3. Spokane, Hughes 3 (Jacobson) 13:18

Penalty – Larson Spo (interference) 17:21.

Third Period

4. Prince George, Boyle 1 (Moberg, Perepeluk) 12:55

5. Spokane, King 2 (Russell, Sward) 16:56 (pp)

6. Spokane, Atchison 2 (King, Kral) 17:35

7. Spokane, Smith 4, 19:43 (en)

Penalties – Hughes Spo (tripping) 5:47, Kohner PG (slashing) 15:07.

Shots on goal by

Spokane          20        8          10        -38

Prince George6          7          6          -19

Goal – Spokane, Arnold (W,3-3-0); Prince George, Gauthier (L,2-6-0).

Referees – Stephen Campbell, Mike Langin; Linesmen – Nick Albinati, Mason Stewart.

Attendance – 3,027.

Three stars – 1. Adam Beckman, Spo; 2. Michael King, Spo; 3. Connor Bowie, PG.