In the first of three straight games, in three straight nights, the Vancouver Giants have drawn first blood. Friday night in Vancouver, Cain Franson broke a 1-1 tie in the back half of the third period and the Vancouver Giants held off the Prince George Cougars 2-1.

The Giants opened the scoring just 1:55 into the game when Trevor Cheek took a pass from goaltender Payton Lee and raced up the ice. After crossing the Cougars blueline, Cheek fired a wrist shot on goal that beat Mac Engel to the blocker side, and the ice surface was then littered with teddy bears and other stuffed toys.

Once the bears were tidied up, the Cougars actually took control of the game. The Cougars had several great chances to score, but either Payton Lee would make a save, or the Cougars would fire wide of the goal.

Late in the period, the Cougars capitalized off the rush when Jordan Tkatch, Ryan Hanes and Jari Erricson combined for a goal. Erricson’s shot from the high slot was able to fool Payton Lee, and his seventh put the Cougars back even with the Giants after 20 minutes.

The second period didn’t have any scoring, but both teams had some key chances. Payton Lee made some big saves off of Jarrett Fontaine and Alex Forsberg, while Mac Engel countered with big stops off of Dalton Sward and Cain Franson to keep the game even.

The third period went back-and-forth with neither goaltender giving an inch. The Giants would then grab the game’s final goal off an incredibly lucky yet skillful play. After Mac Engel denied a shot from Trevor Cheek, the puck fluttered into the air. Cain Franson alertly swung at the puck and knocked it into the net for his 11^th of the season.

Prince George would then be given a late power play, and came within inches of tying the score. But unfortunately Alex Forsberg slid a puck through the legs of Blake Orban, and just wide of the goal post at the side of the Giants’ goal, and the came to an end a moment later.

Both teams finished the game zero-for-three on the power play and the Cougars outshot the Giants 31-23.   The win improves Vancouver’s record to 9-23 while the Cougars now sit at 10-18-1-3.

These teams will meet again Saturday night in Prince George.