With just seconds to spare, the Prince George Cougars tied it up to guarantee their first point of the Western Hockey League season Saturday night in Victoria.
But that second point they were looking for slipped out of the Cougars’ grasp.
Victoria Royals forward Gary Haden, a 30-goal man last year for the Saskatoon Blades, seized it in the fifth round of the shootout when he lifted a backhander in behind Taylor Gauthier to cinch a 3-2 victory.
Keanu Derungs and Carson Miller scored for Victoria in regulation time. Ethan Browne and Ryan Schoettler struck for the Cougars.
Schoettler’s game-tying goal came with 17 seconds left on a 6-on-4 advantage with Royals Sean Gulka serving an interference penalty and Gauthier on the bench. Rhett Rhinehart held the puck in the offensive zone and his point shot was blocked but Schoettler swatted in the rebound.
Browne’s first-period goal 9:02 gave the Cats a lead that lasted until the 13:36 mark of the second period, when Derungs scored his second goal of the weekend on a Victoria power play.
The Cougars were outshot 33-27 in the game but built a 5-4 advantage in five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime. Browne and Miller each scored in the first round of the shootout.
Shane Farkas, the game’s first star, picked up the win in the Royals nets. Gauthier earned second-star honours.
The Royals (2-2-0-0), 2-1 winners over Prince George Friday, jumped into second place in the B.C. Division standings, three points ahead of the Cougars (0-3-0-1).
The Cougars host the Kelowna Rockets Friday and Saturday at CN Centre.
