The Prince George Cougars will be heading south after a weeknight double-header split with the Tri-City Americans. Wednesday night in Prince George the Americans defeated the Cougars 5-3. Justin Gutierrez had a goal and an assist for Tri-City while Chase Witala had three assists at the other end for Prince George.

4:31 into the game the Cougars drew first blood when Josh Anderson’s point shot switched directions and beat Evan Sarthou. For Josh Anderson it was his first career WHL goal and it helped stake his team to an early 1-0 lead.

Back came the Americans exactly seven minutes later with the equalizer. Morgan Geekie rushed the puck up the right wing side and threw a pass across the ice to the streaking Taylor Vickerman who took the pass and deflected home a shot past Ty Edmonds for his fourth of the season.

After one period the score was tied 1-1 and the shots were 7-6 in favor of the Tri-City Americans.

Early in the second the Cougars grabbed their second lead of the game when Jared Bethune, Chase Witala and Zach Pochiro combined for a goal at 1:55 mark of the second. Bethune chipped a pass to Witala down the left wing and from there, Witala circled the Tri-City net and found Zach Pochiro who made no mistake from the low slot.

40 seconds later Tri-City tied it when Jordan Topping banged home the Austyn Playfair rebound through heavy traffic in front of the Cougars goal.

Justin Gutierrez would then give Tri-City the lead at the 16:38 mark of the second period on a power play goal that he scored from behind the Cougars net. Gutierrez tried to saucer a pass up high to the right wing, but instead his saucer pass deflected off the back of Ty Edmonds and into the net.

Tri-City held an 18-15 edge in shots through two periods, and for a second straight game they’d take a one goal lead into the third against the Prince George Cougars.

This time though there would be no comeback. Nolan Yaremko extended the Tri-City lead when he followed up a Jordan Topping rebound and snuck it home for his first ever WHL goal.

Brad Morrison did score at the 14:12 mark of the third on a power play to bring the Cougars back within one, but Richard Nejezchleb would ice the game for Tri-City with an empty-netter with eight seconds left securing the split for Tri-City in Prince George.

Prince George fired the 21 shots on Evan Sarthou in the third period,, but it was too little too late as the Cougars record now sits at 20-22 ahead of this weekend’s trip south.

On special teams the Cougars went one-for-three on the power play and killed off three of the Americans four chances on the man advantage.

Next up for the Cougars: A weekend double header in Victoria against the Royals on Friday and Saturday at the Save on Foods Memorial Centre.