BY COLE WALDIE
Prince George Cougars
The Prince George Cougars wrapped up a successful two-game series with a weekend sweep over the Vancouver Giants, secured by an overtime goal from Koehn Ziemmer.
Ziemmer led the Cougars with two goals, while teammates Lee Shurgot, Hunter Laing, and Jett Lajoie each found the back of the net. Cooper Michaluk, in goal, recorded his first win as a Cougar, stopping 20 of 24 shots.
GOALS:
1st PERIOD:
1-0 Cougars at 4:13** – *Koehn Ziemmer (16), assisted by Riley Heidt and Viliam Kmec
The Cougars opened the scoring on a power play when Riley Heidt set up Ziemmer at the right circle. Ziemmer wristed home his 16th of the season to give the Cougars an early lead.
2-0 Cougars at 11:54 – Lee Shurgot (2) (PP), assisted by Koehn Ziemmer and Viliam Kmec
With Heidt briefly off the ice due to injury, Shurgot stepped onto the top power-play unit and made the most of his opportunity, firing a wrist shot from the right circle past Burke Hood to extend the Cougars’ lead.
2-1 Giants at 15:19 – *Cameron Schmidt (19) (PP), assisted by Ty Halaburda and Mazden Leslie
The Giants cut into the Cougars’ lead as Prince George native Cameron Schmidt’s point shot found its way through traffic and past Michaluk, putting Vancouver on the board.
2nd PERIOD:
2-2 Giants at 8:33– Ty Halaburda (6), assisted by Jaden Lipinski
The Giants leveled the score midway through the second period when Halaburda carried the puck up the right wing and fired a wrist shot past Michaluk’s glove.
3-2 Cougars at 14:53 – *Hunter Laing (6), assisted by Matteo Danis and Aiden Foster
Taking advantage of a Vancouver turnover, Laing wristed a shot that deflected off a Giants defender and into the net, restoring the Cougars’ lead late in the second.
3-3 Giants at 17:45 – Tyus Sparks (2), assisted by Jakob Oreskovic
Vancouver responded quickly, tying the game after Oreskovic’s centering pass found Sparks in front of Michaluk. Sparks capitalized to keep the game even through 40 minutes.
3rd PERIOD:
4-3 Cougars at 5:36– Jett Lajoie (9), assisted by Dermot Johnston and Evan Groening
Early in the third period, Lajoie put the Cougars back in front, capitalizing on a rebound off Johnston’s point shot to score his ninth goal of the season.
4-4 Giants at 18:22 – *Cameron Schmidt (17), assisted by Mazden Leslie and Ty Halaburda
With their net empty, the Giants tied the game again when Schmidt’s shot from the right circle beat Michaluk, forcing overtime.
OVERTIME:
5-4 Cougars at 0:31 – Koehn Ziemmer (17), assisted by Riley Heidt and Viliam Kmec
The Cougars wasted no time in overtime, as Heidt dropped the puck to Ziemmer, who fired a shot from the high slot over Hood’s shoulder, securing the Cougars’ sweep of the Giants.