BY COLE WALDIE
Prince George Cougars
In another thrilling contest at the CN Centre, the Prince George Cougars dropped a 2-1 decision to the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday at the CN Centre.
The excitement commenced early in the game with a spirited fight between Aiden Foster and Tyson Yaremko, setting the tone for an action-packed evening. The Winterhawks took the lead at 17:17, as Detroit Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson scored his second goal as a Winterhawk, securing a 1-0 advantage for the Hawks heading into the first intermission.
The second period saw a strong push from the Cougars, out-shooting the Winterhawks 12-5. The persistence paid off at 12:42 when Ondrej Becher capitalized on a Winterhawk turnover in their own zone, netting his 18th goal of the season, with Terik Parascak providing the lone assist. With this equalizer, the teams entered the third period deadlocked at 1-1.
As the tension escalated in the final frame, Portland seized a crucial power-play opportunity. Diego Buttazzoni capitalized on the advantage, notching his 20th goal of the season at 6:14, granting the Winterhawks a 2-1 lead. Despite a relentless offensive effort from the Cougars, with 15 shots on goaltender Nick Avakyan, the Winterhawks emerged victorious in a tightly contested battle, securing the 2-1 win.
Throughout the weekend, both the Cougars and the Winterhawks delivered exceptional hockey, each claiming a victory in this thrilling two-game set.