Friday night dramatics have become commonplace for the Prince George Cougars in 2013-2014, and tonight was no different. Todd Fiddler scored the game-tying goal with less than a minute remaining in the third period to help force overtime, but unfortunately for the Cougars they were defeated 4-3 in overtime courtesy of the Tri-City Americans. Lukas Nickles had a goal and two assists for the visitors while Jordan Tkatch and Klarc Wilson each had a multi-point game for the Cougars. It was a special night for the Cougars who wore pink jerseys for the first time in franchise history.

Aaron Macklin wasted little time in getting the offense started for the Cougars. 56 seconds into the game, Macklin pounced on a loose puck in front of Eric Comrie and he roofed one over the Tri-City goalies shoulders and in for his fourth of the season and his first as a Cougar.

Tri-City responded with a shorthanded goal at 7:41. Lukas Nickles got the play started when he stole the puck at the Tri-City blueline, raced in alone on a breakaway and was stopped by the goal post. Marcus Messier alertly followed up on the play and flipped the puck up and over the Cougars netminder and in for his fifth of the season. It was the 11th shorthanded goal surrendered by the Cougars so far this season.

Jordan Tkatch got the Cougars back ahead when he knocked home a Chase Witala rebound on his backhand for his fifth of the season.

Once again, Tri-City was quick to counter. This time it was on a power play when Beau McCue grabbed a loose puck in the slot, and while in mid-air, McCue ripped a shot up high and over the shoulder of Ty Edmonds for his 10th of the season.

After one period the score was tied 2-2 but the Cougars had a 15-11 edge in the shots department. That would soon change in the second though as Tri-City came out ready.

The Cougars took four penalties in the second period, but Tri-City was unable to capitalize on any of their chances up a man. That didn’t stop the Americans from outshooting the Cougars 16-5 in the period.

Lukas Nickles broke open a 2-2 tie at the exact halfway point of the second. Off a defensive zone faceoff, Nickles split through the Cougars defense and then raced in alone on Ty Edmonds. This time Nickles made no mistake on his breakaway, sneaking a backhand through Edmonds’ legs and in for his seventh of the season.

Prince George responded well in the third period outshooting Tri-City 18-10, but Eric Comrie stood tall making a number of key stops in the later stages of the game to keep his team ahead. Both goaltenders, Ty Edmonds and Eric Comrie did enough to help their team win the game.

Late in the third with the net empty, the Cougars were finally rewarded for their offensive persistence when Tanner Lischynsky held a puck in at the right point off a failed clear. Klarc Wilson then skated the puck down the right wing and centered a puck in front, where Todd Fiddler pounced on it and roofed the shot over the shoulder of Eric Comrie to tie the game at three. For Fiddler, it was his 11th of the season.

Both teams had three shots in over time, but the game’s final shot came in the game’s final minute. Rookie forward/defenceman Braden Purtill took a Lukas Nickles pass at the right point, and snuck his shot through a maze of bodies and in for his third of the season, ultimately securing a 4-3 overtime victory for the Tri-City Americans.

The single point helps the Cougars move within six points of the Vancouver Giants for eighth place in the West, while Tri-City now holds a 10 point edge on the Cougars for seventh. The Cougars are now 11-16-2-3 through 32 games this season.

These teams will meet again tomorrow night at the CN Centre when the Cougars host their annual Teddy Bear and Toque Toss. When the Cougars score their first goal, fans will throw their stuffed toys onto the ice, and all of them will then be collected and donated towards local charities in Prince George.