The Prince George Cougars now have sole possesion of second place in the B.C. Division thanks to some more home ice heroics. Friday night in Prince George, the Cougars edged the Victoria Royals by a 3-2 score. The trio of Brad Morrison, Chance Braid and Jari Erricson combined for six points while goaltender Ty Edmonds turned aside 22 of the 24 shots he faced for his third straight victory in goal. Austin Carroll and Brandon Magee each had two points in response for the Royals.

After a scoreless first, the Cougars got the scoring started at 8;41 of the second period when the team’s leading goal scorer Jari Erricson crossed the blueline and beat goaltender Jayden Sittler with a gorgeous wrist shot for his 11th of the season.

Less than four minutes later the Cougars padded their lead when Chance Braid charged the net hard and knocked home a Jari Erricson rebound off a backhand for his fifth of the season, and second goal in as many games.

The second period ended with the Cougars ahead 2-0, and they lead in the shot department 20-14.

Early in the third, Victoria got some life when Brandon Magee scored from the high slot on a power play, but back came the Cougars with some power play magic of their own.

Tate Olson’s shot from the right circle was blocked, but Brad Morrison won the race for a loose puck, passed the puck across ice to Jansen Harkins who knocked home the puck into the empty net for his fifth of the season, and the Cougars were able to restore their two goal cushion. Harkins goal would prove to be very important.

With just over seven minutes remaining in the game, Chance Braid was given a five minute major penalty and a game misconduct for checking from behind, and Victoria would capitalize.

Brandon Magee and Austin Carroll connected at the side of the Cougars goal for Carroll’s team high 12th of the season, and all of a sudden the Royals had some life again.

But from there the Cougar penalty killers kept the door shut. Countless blocked shots from the likes of Aaron Macklin, Shane Collins, Tyler Mrkonjic and Joseph Carvalho, and goaltender Ty Edmonds did his part keeping the door shut the rest of the way.

The victory moves the Cougars to 11-8 on the season, and gives them a two point cushion on both Victoria and Kamloops for second in the B.C. Division.

It now means that the Cougars have won four straight games altogether, five straight games against a B.C. Division opponent, and seven of their last eight games at the CN Centre.

Tomorrow night the Cougars will also set their sights on their third consecutive home B.C. Division sweep when they host the Royals in a rematch.