BY COLE WALDIE
Prince George Cougars
In an entertaining affair to begin the 2024-25 season, the Prince George Cougars dropped a nailbiting 4-3 overtime decision to the Spokane Chiefs, on Friday at the CN Centre.
Matteo Danis, Jett Lajoie, and Ephram McNutt scored the Cougar goals, while Josh Ravensbergen made 34 saves on 38 Spokane shots.
GOALS:
1st PERIOD:
1-0 Chiefs at 3:12 – Rasmus Ekström (1) assisted by Cohen Harris // Rasmus Ekström received a feed at the right circle and walked his way into the slot and fired a backhand shot by Ravensbergen to give the Chiefs an early lead.
1-1 Cougars at 6:01 – Matteo Danis (1) (PP) assisted by Ephram McNutt and Aiden Foster // On a PG power-play, a Lee Shurgot shot went towards the goal, that was followed up by several whacks at the goal from Ephram McNutt and Aiden Foster, but it was Matteo Danis the last one to get a stick on the puck and squeezed by goaltender Cooper Michaluk to tie the game.
2-1 Cougars at 6:47 – Jett Lajoie (1) assisted by Carlin Dezainde and Carson Carels // Carlin Dezainde showed off his speed in the offensive zone, wheeling his way around to the right circle and found Lajoie in the high slot and rifled a one-timer by Michaluk to give Prince George the lead in the blink of an eye.
2-2 Chiefs at 9:52 – Dane Pyatt (1) // Off a Cougar turnover at neutral ice, rookie forward Dane Pyatt took the puck on a partial break and ripped a wrist shot by Ravensbergen to tie the game. Pyatt’s goal was his first WHL tally.
2nd PERIOD:
NO SCORING
3rd PERIOD:
3-2 Cougars at 14:32 – Ephram McNutt (1) assisted by Carson Carels and Jett Lajoie // The Cougars were showing some good offensive zone time and were rewarded for it. Ephram McNutt walked his way in from the right point to the right circle and snuck a wrist shot under the leg of Cooper Michaluk to re-store the Prince George lead late in the third.
3-3 Chiefs at 17:11 – Cohen Harris (1) assisted by Shea Van Olm and Ossie McIntyre // The Chiefs found the equalizer in the final minutes of regulation. Ravensbergen initially stopped a Shea Van Olm shot, however, rookie forward Cohen Harris slid home the rebound for his first WHL goal to knot the game at three.
OVERTIME:
4-3 Chiefs at 1:49 – Owen Schoettler (1) assisted by Mathis Preston // In an exciting overtime, Mathis Preston showed off his speed down the right wing and Ravensbergen stopped his shot, but a juicy rebound came out to defenceman Owen Schoettler who delivered the knockout blow and earned the Chiefs a 4-3 OT win on season opening night of the WHL.