By: Dan O’Connor

Saturday night in Prince George, the Cougars dropped a 4-3 score to the Everett Silvertips. Joshua Winquist scored twice in the second period to ultimately seal the deal. Spencer Asuchak, Greg Fraser and Daulton Siwak responded for the Cougars who had two late power plays, but were unable to tie the score. 

Everett earned a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes of the game. Austin Adam opened the scoring 1:49 in on a point-shot that found it’s way through the crowd. For a second straight game, Everett had scored on their first shot on goal. 

Josh  Birkolz added to the lead at 5:37 on a power play. Birkholz skated into the left circle and let a low shot go that found it’s way into the back of the net. For Birkholz it was his second of the weekend and 23^rd of the season. 

The Cougars made it 2-1 late in the period when Greg Fraser stole the puck from the Silvertips defense and wired a shot past Kent Simpson for his 12^th of the season. The goal was scored unassisted.

 Early in the second period, Everett regained their two goal cushion when Joshua Winquist put home a Ryan Harrison pass. Earlier in the sequence, Drew Owsley made a sensational save off of Harrison on a breakaway, but Harrison grabbed his own rebound, centered the puck and Winquist made no mistake. 

Winquist would score another one 2:04 later off a centering pass from behind the Cougars goal. 

Spencer Asuchak would respond for the Cougars late in the period on a power play. Asuchak received a pass in front of Kent Simpson, and deked around him for his 13^th of the season, and his sixth of the season against the Everett Silvertips. A nice reward for Asuchak who was celebrating his 200^th game of his career. 

Early in the third period the Cougars moved within one when Daulton Siwak freed the puck along the wall and blasted a wrist-shot past Simpson for his eighth of the season. 

Two late power plays provided the Cougars with some chances, but the Silvertips were able to block a lot of shots and hold the Cougars to three goals. 

With the victory, Everett’s record improves to 12-30-1-8 and they moved one point ahead of the Cougars (15-31-0-2) in the Western Conference standings. 

Both teams finished one-for-four on the man advantage. Everett outshot Prince George 28-19. 

Next up: The Victoria Royals on Tuesday and Wednesday. It marks the first time that the Cougars will face Victoria since October 1^st, 2011 and the first time the Cougars have played a game in Victoria since the franchise was moved to Prince George (from Victoria) in 1994.