GRANDE CACHE, AB –The Prince George Cougars delivered an action-packed pre-season game against the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Grande Cache Recreational Centre in Grande Cache, AB, ultimately falling short with a final score of 4-3.
The game kicked off with an impressive breakaway play by Ondrej Becher, who showcased his finesse with a top-shelf backhand shot at 6:16, putting the Cougars on the scoreboard. Edmonton quickly responded with a rebound tap-in from Rhett Melnyk at 16:14, levelling the playing field. The first period concluded with a shot count of 16-9 in favour of Prince George.
In the second period, Edmonton took the lead for the first time with a goal from Luke Powell just four minutes in. Carlin Dezainde swiftly answered, firing a wrist shot from the right circle at 5:05 to even the score. Despite a period marred by penalties, both teams remained deadlocked at two.
The final period was marked by another standout performance from Carlin Dezainde, who capitalized on a wrist shot at 5:11 to reclaim the lead for the Cougars. However, Edmonton responded promptly with a goal from Adam Jecho at 8:22, tying the game once again. The Oil Kings then seized a power-play opportunity, with Ethan MacKenzie’s wrist shot finding its way through traffic, securing a 4-3 victory.
The Cougars dominated the third period, outshooting Edmonton 19-9, but couldn’t find the equalizer.