It was a Valentine’s Day heartbreaker for the Prince George Cougars on Friday night in Kelowna. Rourke Chartier broke up a 2-2 with just 25 seconds left in the third period, and then added an empty-netter to lift Kelowna to a 4-2 victory over the Prince George Cougars, robbing the Cougars of at least a single point in their push towards a playoff spot. Todd Fiddler and Marc McNulty responded with goals for Prince George, while captain Troy Bourke reached a new Cougars milestone with two assists.

After 20 minutes the game was scoreless due in large part to the play of both goaltenders. Cougars netminder Adam Beukeboom turned aside all 12 first period shots he faced, while Jordan Cooke stopped all eight fired his way.

Mid-way through the second period the Kelowna Rockets got into some penalty trouble and that’s when the Cougars capitalized.

With three different Rockets in the box, the Cougars were given an extended five-on-three power play chance, and Todd Fiddler and Marc McNulty each scored on the five-on-three to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.

Captain Troy Bourke assisted on both Cougars goals, and in the process became the Cougars all-time assists leader, passing Blake Robson with 141 career assists in a Cougars uniform.

Late in the second, Kelowna got back within one when Nick Merkley deked out Beukeboom and tucked home his own rebound at 17:27 of the second stanza.

Through two periods, the Rockets were outshooting the Cougars 30-18, but were trailing the Cougars 2-1.

That changed at 5:24 of the third period when Carter Rigby raced down the right wing, and beat Beukeboom with a high wrist shot that found it’s way over the block and in.

With the game winding down, the Rockets once again got into some penalty trouble. Justin Kirkland (high sticking) and Madison Bowey (delay of game) took penalties four seconds apart to give the Cougars a late and lengthy five-on-three chance.

Despite numerous quality chances, the Cougars were unable to bury, and that then set the stage for the eventual game winner. Off a miscue in the neutral zone, the Rockets raced the puck back into the Cougars zone with speed to the outside. Justin Kirkland’s wrap-around attempt was denied but Rourke Chartier charged hard to the goal-mouth area and whacked home the rebound to give Kelowna the 3-2 lead.

Chartier then sealed the deal a few seconds later into an empty net.

Once again the Cougars took the league-leading Rockets to the limit, only to come out of the game with nothing to show for it. Adam Beukeboom made 38 saves on 41 shots faced, while Jordan Cooke stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced.

Prince George finished two-for-seven on the power play while the Rockets were zero-for-two on their chances.

Fortunately the Cougars remain only five points back of the eighth placed Tri-City Americans, who also surrendered a goal in the final minute of their game to the Seattle Thunderbirds, and lost 4-3.

Next up for the Cougars (24-29-2-5), a battle with the Kamloops Blazers, a team that the Cougars have beaten in six consecutive games. That game will go Saturday night in Kamloops.