Cougars win 7-3

Cougars complete Giant win; extend winning streak to four games

Dec 15, 2021 | 9:35 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Spearheaded by Koehn Ziemmer’s six-point night, the Prince George Cougars (11-14) extended their winning streak to four-games after defeating the Vancouver Gaints (13-11-1) 7-3 Wednesday night inside the CN Centre.

Connor Martin got the start in net for Vancouver. The last time Martin faced Prince George, it was when he was a member of the Victoria Royals back on Oct. 17. He allowed three goals on 21 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Cougars.

Called up from the Alberta Junior Hockey League after Tyler Brennan went down to injury in Kelowna on Friday night, Ty Young got the nod in goal for the Cougars on Wednesday night. It marked his first start in the WHL this season after being sent to the Calgary Canucks shortly after the regular season got underway.

Young didn’t have to wait long to be welcomed back, however, he was likely wishing there was more of a welcome mat rolled out as the Giants stormed up the ice and put one in past him just 23 seconds into the opening period.

Tanner Brown was credited with the goal, his second of the season.

Following the early goal, the pace of the game fell flat. That was until the Giants found an insurance marker. Alex Cotton, after dropping down along the right wing, cycled back up and centred up just inside the blueline and put the puck on net, which appeared to get deflected on its way to the net, finding its way in past Young for the Giants second of the game.

Vancouver went into the intermission holding a 2-0 lead and having the slight edge in the shots on net count, 11-10 over Prince George.

Early in the middle frame, the young PG goalie was bailed out. After a shot trickled through his pads and crept to the goalline for what looked to be a third goal for Vancouver, Hudson Thornton got his blade on the puck to scoop it out. Video review confirmed there was no goal on the play.

The Cougars found the scoring touch past the midway mark of the second period. On back-to-back nights, Thornton found the back of the net for Prince George. With the Cougars on the powerplay, Koehn Ziemmer found the defenceman coming down the slot before connecting from the right wing corner. It marked Thornton’s sixth goal of the season.

Inside six minutes of the period, playing 4-on-4, Ethan Samson fluttered a shot on net just as 16-year-old Riley Heidt slid in the lane to tip the puck. The puck slipped past Martin for Heidt’s sixth of the year. Samson and Thornton both were given assists on the play as the Cougars tied the game.

Then, with the final seconds ticking away on the period, a strange play behind the Vancouver net saw the puck spring out to Craig Armstrong in the slot, picked his shot and got it to pull the Cougars ahead 3-2 before the end of the period. Ziemmer tallied his second assist of the game on the goal, while Armstrong registered his eighth of the season.

Following 40 minutes, the Cougars tilted the shots board in their favour, outshooting the Giants 14-9 in the second period.

With the momentum they picked up in the second, Prince George wasn’t letting their lead go to chance. 54 seconds into the third, Koehn Ziemmer capitalized off of a fallen Giants skater and tallied his third assist of the game, connecting with Craig Armstrong for his second of the night. The goal gave the Cats a 4-2 lead.

Ziemmer wasn’t done there, though. A minute and a half later, the Cougars’ forward cruised along the right wing on net and tapped in the connecting pass from Armstrong.

Following the goal, the Giants replaced Martin in net with Will Gurski.

And as if that wasn’t enough, Ziemmer continued to make up for lost time on the scoresheet. After going scoreless in seven consecutive games, the former 4th overall pick scored his second of the night to further pad the Cougars lead, 6-2.

Bauer Dumanski was sent to the box following a slashing call in the third period. Vancouver was able to get one back while on the powerplay, getting traffic in front. Alex Cotton scored his second of the night at 14:27 of the third period.

Mere moments later, however, the Cougars answered back to score their seventh of the night. Bowie scored his eighth of the season after tucking a backhanded shot through the pads of Gurski.

The seven goals marked the most the Cougars have scored in a single-game this season.

Ty Young stopped 28 of the 31 shots he faced on the night. It marked his first career win playing in the Western Hockey League.

Up next, the Cougars will venture down to the Sandman Centre in Kamloops Friday night to take on the BC Division leading Blazers (19-6-0). The Blazers defeated the Victoria Royals 3-0 Wednesday night.