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Fifth-straight loss dims Cougars' playoff hopes

Cats reamain 11 points out of a playoff spot
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EVERETT, WASH. - The Prince George Cougars winless streak stretched to five games after a 4-2 loss to the Everett Silvertips Friday at Angel of the Winds Arena.

Everett’s Dawson Butt scored the game-winning goal six-and-a-half minutes into the third period, breaking a 2-2 tie. Butt’s goal came 51 seconds after the Cougars tied the game. Michal Gut, Ethan Regnier and Kasper Puutio (empty-net) also scored for the Silvertips who won their fourth straight. 16-year-old Braden Holt stopped 27 shots for his second career win.

Josh Maser and Vladislav Mikhalchuk scored for the Cougars. Maser was named the game’s second start after finishing with two points (1-1-2). Taylor Gauthier suffered the loss in net but turned in a valiant effort, stopping 43 of 46 shots.

It was a tight-checking game through 40-minutes, with the two teams tied 1-1 but in the third period the game broke wide open, with four goals scored over the final 20 minutes.

Regnier put the Silvertips ahead 2-1 just eight seconds into the final frame. Off the opening face-off, Regnier followed Cole Fonstad’s shot to the net and buried the rebound that came off the pad of Gauthier.

Prince George responded on the power-play, with Mikhalchuk scoring on a rebound at 5:37. Mikhalchuk’s eighth of the season tied the game 2-2. However, the celebration was quickly muted.

Less than a minute later, Butt replied for the Silvertips. He was the first to a rebound in front of Gauthier, putting the puck past the goalie’s glove at 6:28. Gauthier had stopped the first two shots before Butt cashed in.

The Cougars pulled the goalie in the final two minutes, but it was Everett’s Puutio scoring into an empty net from his own end of the rink to put the game out of reach at 18:20.

The Silvertips led 1-0 after 20-minutes on a power-play goal by Gut. It was another rebound, as Gut grabbed the puck out front and squeezed it underneath Gauthier at 18:03.

It remained 1-0 for the Silvertips until the late stages in the second period. The Silvertips turned the puck over at the Cougars’ blueline and  Maser took off the other way. The Cougars’ captain came down the left wing and scored upstairs on Holt at 16:14 to tie it 1-1.

Game Notes: With his second period goal Friday, Maser extended his point streak to four games. He has four points (2-2-4) over those four games. Ryan Schoettler picked up an assist in his 250th career regular season game. The Cougars and Silvertips split their four-game season series. With the loss, the Cougars record against the U.S. Division slipped to 7-11-1-0. With the Seattle Thunderbirds losing 5-3 Friday in Portlaansd, the Cougars remain 11 points out of a playoff spot.

Next Up: The Cougars (16-31-3-4) are back in action on Sunday afternoon against the Seattle Thunderbirds at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash. The puck drops at 5:05 pm. Fans can watch the game at Brown’s Socialhouse in Prince George or they can listen on 94.3 FM The GOAT.