The Prince George Cougars are returning home from Alberta having earned two of six available points in a three game in three night road swing. Saturday night in Red Deer the Cougars fell 5-1 to the Red Deer Rebels. Dominik Volek had two goals for Red Deer and goaltender Taz Burman turned aside 40 shots in the victory. Marc McNulty had the lone goal of the game for Prince George.

Red Deer opened the scoring at the 4:17 mark of the first period when Conner Bleackley tucked home his 11th of the season off a corner pass from Rhyse Dieno.

Marc McNulty answered with a power play goal at the 13:01 mark on a power play, and things were all squared.

Red Deer restored their lead in the final minute of the first period when Evan Polei raced down the right wing and snuck a backhand shot past Ty Edmonds for his third goal of the season.

Dominik Volek padded the Rebels lead at 7:40 of the second on a power play. Off a failed clearing attempt, Brady Gaudet threw a shot towards the goal that was knocked down by Lukas Sutter. Sutter then made a nifty pass behind the back to Volek who was waiting in front of the open net – 3-1 for Red Deer.

Volek would strike again at the 16:41 mark of the second off a turnover beside the Cougars goal. Volek pounced on a loose puck in front of the Cougars goal and deked out the goaltender for his team leading 12th of the season.

The game’s final goal came early in the third when Rhyse Dieno snuck a low shot past Edmonds for his ninth of the season.

Throughout the game the Cougars threw a lot of pucks towards the Red Deer goal, but goaltender Taz Burman saw most of them and did not allow too many second or third chances.

Towards the end of the game, the Cougars found themselves shorthanded due to an injury to Raymond Grewal and a five-minute major kneeing penalty that was assessed to Troy Bourke.

Red Deer put 38 shots on the Cougars goal, and Ty Edmonds stopped 33 of them. Both teams scored once on the power play.

With the loss the Cougars now sit at 10-15-1-3 and remain three points back of the Vancouver Giants for eighth place, but have played in two more games.

Now the Cougars will return home for some much needed rest and practice time before facing the eighth placed Giants twice next weekend in Prince George.