The Spokane Chiefs have made life miserable for the Prince George Cougars over the past two seasons,
Eight times they’ve played the Cougars in that two-year span and each time the Chiefs have filled their boots with two points in the standings. Well that string finally came to end Friday night in Spokane.
The Cougars ended their Spokane suffering with a 3-1 victory.
Goalie Taylor Gauthier had a lot to do with that, stopping 44 of 45 Chiefs’ shots to earn first-star honours.
The goal support came from one likely source – Josh Maser - who scored his third goal in as many games to stake the Cats to a 1-0 lead after one period, and two lesser-known offensive catalysts.
Connor Bowie and Mitch Kohner also connected for the Cougars, who won their second-straight game. Bobby Russell was the only Chef to beat Gauthier, who was at his best in the final 20 minutes. The 18-year-old stopped everything directed his way in the third period while his team was outshot 18-2.
Bowie’s game-winner, his first goal of the season, came 3:50 into the second period, set up when Blake Eastman made a nimble play at the far blueline to chip the puck ahead and set up a 3-on-1 break. For Eastman, a 16-year-old rookie winger, it was his first career WHL point.
The win improved the Cougars’ record to 2-4-0-1 which gives them five points and left them tied with the Victoria Royals for fourth place in the B.C. Division. The Chiefs (3-3-1-0) rank fourth in the U.S. Division.
It was the first win in Spokane for the Cats since March 1, 2017.
Defenceman Cole Moberg and winger Jackson Leppard returned from injury to help the Cougars keep up their winning ways.
The Cougars will be in Kennewick, Wash, tonight to play the Tri-City Americans.
