Friday night in Vancouver the Prince George Cougars dropped a 5-4 score to the Vancouver Giants. Vancouver erased a three goal deficit with four unanswered goals. Mason Geertsen led the way with two goals and an assist for Vancouver. Chase Witala responded with two goals for Prince George becoming the first Cougar to reach the 20-goal mark this season. Jansen Harkins added two assists in a losing cause.

Witala opened the scoring 6:03 into the first period on a power play. Witala took a pass in the right circle and wired a shot past Payton Lee and in for his 19^th of the season and his first of two on the night.

Just over three minutes later the Cougars made it 2-0 when Tyler Mrkonjic beat Lee off a two-on-one rush. For Tyler Mrkonjic it was his fifth of the season and his second goal in as many games.

Back came the Giants though at 11:29 of the first when Jackson Houck stole the pick at the side of the Cougars net, circled out in front and snuck a low shot past Ty Edmonds and in for his 14^th goal of the season.

Despite two late first period penalties, the Cougars were able to hold their lead and went into the first intermission up 2-1.

2:19 into the second the Cougars regained their two goal lead when Shane Collins converted off a two-on-one rush with Jared Bethune. Collins took the Bethune pass and wasted no time in wristing home his first ever WHL goal.

Collins goal spelt the end of the night for Payton Lee who was removed from the game by Giants coach Claude Noel after he surrendered three goals on eight shots.

Porter was rudely greeted by a Chase Witala power play marker 34 seconds into his appearance, and the Cougars were up 4-1 at the 2:53 mark of the second.

Mason Geertsen got Vancouver back within two goals on a power play one-timer at 5:47 of the second to push the score to 4-2.

The game’s next goal came with just six seconds left in the second period. Off a scramble at the side of the Cougars net, the puck squeezed out in front and Dalton Sward scored what he thought was his seventh of the season.

After initially signaling a goal on the ice, the officials Mike Campbell and Mark Pearce went upstairs for what would be a lengthy goal review. According to the video evidence there was not enough to overturn the decision on the ice. The goal stood and the Giants were back within one late in the period.

Two minutes into the third, the Giants tied the score when Tyler Benson snuck in from the right wing, and lifted a shot over Edmonds’ shoulder at the tail end of a power play.

Vancouver then completed the comeback with just 3:19 to go in the final period. Mason Geertsen scored his second of the night off a slapshot from the top of the left circle. Edmonds got some of it, but not all of it, and for the first time all night the Giants had the lead.

Despite a late push by the Cougars, the Giants were able to hold on to secure their 18^th victory of the season and fourth of the season against the Cougars – Meaning each team won four games against the other in the division matchup.

Vancouver finished two-for-eight on the power play while the Cougars went two-for-six. The final shots were: 35-22 for Vancouver.

With the loss the Cougars record now sits at 19-20, three points back of Victoria for second in the B.C. Division and one point ahead of Vancouver for fourth.

Next up, the fifth and final game of the Cougars B.C. Division road trip on Saturday night in Kelowna.