BY COLE WALDIE
Prince George Cougars
SPOKANE, WA – The Prince George Cougars have advanced to the Western Conference Semi-Finals after a 3-2 win over the Spokane Chiefs, Wednesday at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. This marks the second consecutive season the Cougars have punched their ticket to round two, and just the second time in PG Cougar history that they have swept a playoff series.
Viliam Kmec, Koehn Ziemmer, and Zac Funk supplied the Cougar offence all finding the back of the net and Ty Young was terrific in goal, securing his first victory of the playoffs, making 30 saves. The Cougars await their second round opponent which begins Friday, April 12 at the CN Centre. Tickets for the second round go on sale tomorrow at 11 a.m.
GOALS:
1st Period
1-0 Cougars at 10:14 – Viliam Kmec (2), assisted by Terik Parascak and Ondrej Becher // Terik Parascak and Ondrej Becher did some great work to get the puck to Viliam Kmec at the mid-point and he fired a shot through a plethora of bodies and past Dawson Cowan to give Prince George a 1-0 lead.
2nd PERIOD
1-1 Chiefs at 1:36 – Connor Roulette (2) assisted by Berkly Catton and Brayden Crampton // Connor Roulette received a pass from Berkly Catton that went off a couple of bodies and Roulette fired a wrist shot from the high slot that trickled through Ty Young to tie the game at one.
2-1 Cougars at 9:35 – Koehn Ziemmer (1), assisted by Oren Shtrom // LA Kings prospect Koehn Ziemmer got the puck at the left circle and sneaked a wrist shot through the legs of Cowan for Ziemmer’s first since returning from injury.
3-1 Cougars at 11:27 – Zac Funk (1) (PP), assisted by Terik Parascak and Riley Heidt // On the man advantage, Riley Heidt drove the puck up the middle and ended up spotting Terik Parascak who then found Funk at the left circle and buried the puck into a wide open net to give the Cats a two-goal lead.
3-2 Cougars at 13:10 – Connor Roulette (3), assisted by Berkly Catton and Saige Weinstein // The Chiefs responded swiftly as Berkly Catton showed terrific patience behind the Cougar goal and then spotted Connor Roulette in the back-door for his second of the game.