Through the first 40 minutes of Tuesday’s game with Portland, the Prince George Cougars were right there; blow-for-blow with the defending WHL champs. But Portland’s Derek Pouliot broke a 1-1 tie with a late goal with just four seconds remaining in the second period and the Cougars were unable to recover. The final score was 5-1 with Pouliot scoring twice, and Oliver Bjorkstrand added a goal and two assists. Todd Fiddler had the Cougars lone tally, which came in the first period.

After weathering an early Portland storm of attack in the opening minutes, the Cougars responded well, and on their first power play of the game made the Winterhawks pay.

Todd Fiddler deflected home a Marc McNulty point shot past Corbin Boes and in, which helped Fiddler reach the 40 goal mark for the second consecutive season.

From there, the Cougars and Winterhawks kept trading power plays and scoring chances in the first period, but both Ty Edmonds and Cobin Boes were definitely at their best between the pipes. Edmonds was a little busier, as he also had to stop Brendan Leipsic on a penalty shot, while also stopping 10 of the 11 shots he faced.

Late in the first the Winterhawks were given a four-on-three power play opportunity, and the league’s top-ranked power play took full advantage. With seconds winding down in the first period, Nic Petan feathered a pass through the crease to Oliver Bjorstrand in the left-wing slot area. Bjorkstrand one-timed home the Petan pass into the net for his 41st goal of the season and a 1-1 hockey game after one.

Neither team was able to muster any offense for a large majority of the second period, but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of opportunity. Zach Pochiro had three great chances for Prince George to take the lead, but Boes stood call keeping the puck out. Ty Edmonds was equally sharp at the other side, making strong stops off of Brendan Leipsic and Taylor Leier.

Unfortunately for the Cougars discipline once again got the better of them in the late stages of the second, and it cost them. With just 1 second remaining in Portland’s power play, Derrick Pouliot pinched in from the point and snuck a shot past Edmonds and in give Portland a lead that they wouldn’t surrender back.

Keegan Iverson, Derrick Pouliot and Tyson Predinchuk all added markers in the third period to push the score to 5-1, but the obvious demoralizer for the Cougars was the 2-1 goal with so little time remaining in the period.

Prince George finished the game one-for-seven on the power play, while the Winterhawks went three-for-seven. Portland outshot the Cougars 37-31.

With the loss, the Cougars record now sits at 25-30-3-5 and the gap between the Cougars and the playoffs remains at just two points. Now the Cougars will need some help from other teams, as Tri-City is back in action in Kelowna and they will be looking to create some separation between themselves and Prince George.

The Cougars return to action on Friday night at home when they welcome the Kelowna Rockets to town for a weekend double-header.