A three-game in three-night road trip that started poorly for the Cougars ended remarkably thanks to a character building victory in Calgary Sunday. Rookie goaltender Tavin Grant turned aside 26 of the 28 shots he faced in just his second ever WHL start, and the Cougars held off the Calgary Hitmen 3-2, improving their record to 8-8.

Before the game started, Cougars head coach Mark Holick preached defensive structure and discipline. His team did not disappoint.

Mid-way through the first period, the Cougars (yet again) scored the first goal in a game. Chase Witala was robbed on his first attempt by Calgary netminder Evan Johnson, but grabbed the puck from behind the Calgary net, and banked the puck off of Johnson and in for his eighth goal of the season.

Kody McDonald then added to the Cougars lead at the 17:58 mark of the frame when he snuck a low backhand shot past Johnson and in. That play all started when Colby McAuley threw a big-time body check on Travis Sanheim behind the Calgary goal. McDonald then got to the puck first and did the rest for his second goal of the season.

Late in the first, Calgary responded with some urgency, but Tavin Grant held his ground. His best save came off of Radel Fazleev on a breakaway to keep the game at 2-0.

Heading into Sunday’s game, the Cougars had been outscored 29-13 in the second period of games, but on this night the Cougars kept Calgary completely in check, once again thanks to some solid defensive play and goaltending. The Cougars killed off a pair of Calgary penalties and outshot Calgary 9-8 in the middle stanza.

Early in the third, the Cougars would increase their lead to three when Tyler Mrkonjic raced past a Calgary defender, and snuck a wrist shot past Evan Johnson’s stick for his third of the season and second goal of the weekend. This goal would prove to be huge for the Cougars, because Calgary still had some fight left in them.

Chase Lang got Calgary on the board at 7:53 of the third period when he knocked home a Loch Morrison rebound for his eighth of the season to give his team some life offensively.

Later in the third on a power play, Adam Tambellini got the Hitmen back within one after a wicked one-timer at the 16:51 mark.

Calgary kept pushing, but the Cougars were able to keep the door shut for the duration of the game. Tavin Grant made a number of key saves in the final minutes to secure his first ever victory in the WHL.

Despite being outshot 28-22 the Cougars can take many psoitives away from their performance in all three areas of the ice. Calgary went one-for-five on the power play while the Cougars finished zero-for-four.

With the victory the Cougars are back at .500 with a record of 8-8. They will now head home for some well deserved rest before they take the ice again on Saturday night against the Kamloops Blazers.