
BY COLE WALDIE
Prince George Cougars
The Prince George Cougars made this Good Friday a Great Friday with an impressive 6-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs to take 1-0 series lead in the WHL Playoffs in front of 5692 fans at the CN Centre.
Terik Parascak spearheaded the Prince George offence with a hat-trick performance, and Ondrej Becher picked up three points, notching a goal and an assist. Josh Ravensbergen earned his first WHL playoff win, making 24 saves on 25 Spokane shots.
GOALS:
1st Period
1-0 Chiefs at 3:09 – Connor Roulette (1), assisted by Berkly Catton and Shea Van Olm // Berkly Catton was initially stopped on a Grade A opportunity by Josh Ravensbergen, however, a Cougar turnover ended up on the stick of Roulette and he made no mistake in front of the goal to make it 1-0.
1-1 Cougars at 3:48 – Ondrej Becher (1), assisted by Zac Funk and Chase Pauls // Becher worked the puck into the offensive zone to set up a passing play between him and Zac Funk and Becher rifled home his first of the playoffs to tie the game.
2-1 Cougars at 15:31 – Terik Parascak (1) (PP), assisted by Zac Funk and Ondrej Becher // Zac Funk showed great patience at the left circle before firing a wrist shot that was initially stopped by goaltender Dawson Cowan, but Terik Parascak buried the rebound to give the Cougars their first lead of the playoffs.
3-1 Cougars at 16:38 – Keaton Dowhaniuk (1), assisted by Borya Valis and Matteo Danis // After a flurry of chances that included a shot off the post from Borya Valis, the puck found its way to Keaton Dowhaniuk at the left circle and he wired a slap shot past Cowan to make it 3-1.
2nd Period
4-1 Cougars at 14:30 – Terik Parascak (2), assisted by Riley Heidt and Hudson Thornton // After shooting the puck off the crossbar, Parascak got a second opportunity just seconds later as the Cougar power-play expired. He banged home a rebound in tight past Cowan to propel the Cougar lead to 4-1.
5-1 Cougars at 19:00 – Terik Parascak (3) (PP), assisted by Ondrej Becher and Riley Heidt // On a Prince George power-play, Riley Heidt spotted Ondrej Becher at the right circle who then spotted both Zac Funk and Parascak in front of the goal and Parascak was the one to tip it by Cowan for the hat-trick goal to make it 6-1 Cougars.
3rd PERIOD
6-1 Cougars at 3:47 – Borya Valis (1), assisted by Carin Dezainde and Viliam Kmec // Chief goaltender Dawson Cowan took too much time behind his net trying to make a play with the puck. The puck ended up on the stick of Borya Valis off the goaltender’s turnover and deposited his first of the playoffs into the open cage.