For the first time in 14 meetings, the Prince George Cougars have defeated the top ranked team in the CHL, the Kelowna Rockets! Jansen Harkins broke open a 1-1 tie at the 8:26 mark of the third period, and Ty Edmonds was marvelous turning aside 42 of the 43 shots that he faced to earn the Cougars their 26th victory of the season, and it also moved them within one single point of the eighth placed Tri-City Americans in the race for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Mid-way through the first period the Rockets were outshooting the Cougars 11-1, but goaltender Ty Edmonds stood tall and kept the game scoreless. At 13:23 of the first period, Zach Gonek dropped the gloves with Dalton Yorke for the first of two fights on the evening, and from then on the momentum seemed to change.

Late in the first on a power play the Cougars drew first blood when Klarc Wilson tipped home a Marc McNulty pass in front of the Cougars goal for his 25th of the season. Wilson’s marker would stand as the only goal of the period, and despite being outshot 14-3 in the first period, the Cougars held a 1-0 lead.

Both goaltenders were marvelous in the second period. Kelowna’s Jordan Cooke was tested a number of times early, but made some timely saves off of Jordan Tkatch and Klarc Wilson to keep his team ahead. At the other side, Ty Edmonds was brilliant making some tough stops off of Ryan Olsen and Justin Kirkland to keep his team ahead 1-0.

Late in the period the Rockets tied it when Nick Merkley took a Marek Tvrdon pass, raced down the right wing, spun around and then found Rourke Chartier trailing on the rush. Chartier beat Edmonds up high for his 20th of the season, and the teams went into the second intermission tied 1-1.

The game’s final goal came at the 8:26 mark of the final period. Todd Fiddler checked Rourke Chartier off the puck along the wall and then feathered a pass through traffic to Jansen Harkins. Harkins raced in alone on Jordan Cooke and shovelled a backhand shot through his legs and in to give the Cougars a 2-1 advantage.

From there, Edmonds stood tall, turning aside a number of quality Kelowna opportunities. Tyrell Goulbourne had a number of quality looks for the Rockets, but could not beat Edmonds who kept the door shut the rest of the way to earn his 18th victory of the season.

Kelowna outshot the Cougars 43-25, but were zero-for-four on the power play, while the Cougars finished one-for-two on their chances.

The win, coupled with a Tri-City shootout loss to Everett moves the Cougars to within just one single point of eighth place in the Western Conference. And just in case you haven’t had your full fix of Cougars-Rockets hockey, these teams will do it all again on Tuesday night in Kelowna.