Friday night in Prince George, the Cougars and Winterhawks treated over 3800 fans to a thrilling hockey game. 65 minutes and then some would be required to solve this one, and in the end the visiting Portland Winterhawks prevailed with a 4-3 shootout victory. Chase De Leo had the lone shootout goal while Winterhawks netminder Adin Hill stopped all three Cougar shootout attempts. During regulation the Cougars scored three first period power play goals while Portland got two assists each from Nic Petan and Oliver Bjorksterand.

4:30 into the first period Portland got on the board when Paul Bittner snuck a backhand over the glove of Cougars netminder Ty Edmonds.

Prince George responded at the 8:13 mark on their first of three first period power play markers. First it was Tyler Mrkonjic who knocked home a David Soltes rebound. Brad Morrison started the play by winning the draw back to Soltes who fired a quick shot on net. Mrkonjic got his stick on the loose puck first to tuck home his sixth of the season and it was all squared at one.

Portland responded with a power play marker of their own. Oliver Bjorkstrand, Nic Petan and Chase De Leo combined in a slick three-way passing play. De Leo snuck into the high slot and redirected home a Petan pass for his 18th goal of the season.

Back came the Cougars when Josh Connolly (who was playing his first home game as Cougar) raced the puck up ice from his own zone, took the defender wide to the right side and then snuck a low shot past Adin Hill and in for his seventh goal of the season and his second goal in as many games.

Chase Witala then gave the Cougars the lead later in the first period at the 15:54 mark after he snuck a backhand home off a Josh Connolly rebound to secure his team-leading 24th goal of the season. The shots were 13-12 after one for Portland but the Cougars led 3-2.

There was no scoring in the second period but each team had 10 shots on goal, and both Hill and Edmonds bounced back with some strong play in the middle frame.

The game’s final goal in regulation wouldn’t come until the late stages of the third when Miles Koules was able to sneak between two Cougar defenders and rip a wrist shot past the blocker of Edmonds and in at the 16:54 mark of the third period.

Portland came on in the final minutes looking for the go-ahead goal, but Ty Edmonds made a flurry of big saves to keep the game tied at three.

60 minutes came and went and the two teams headed to overtime all squared at 3-3.

Late in overtime the Cougars were given a power play opportunity but were unable to solve Adin Hill, and for just a second time in their 45 game season to-date, the Cougars would need a shootout to decide their fate.

After Zach Pochiro missed on his chance, Chase De Leo snuck a puck through the legs of Ty Edmonds to give Portland the advantage in the shootout.

Chase Witala and Oliver Bjorkstrand both missed their chances, which left the game in the hands of Jansen Harkins. Harkins skated in close and tried to sneak a puck through the five-hole of Hill, but Hill got just enough of it with his pads to keep the out, and give Portland the extra point.

Portland outshot the Cougars 40-34. The Cougars finished three-for-five on the power play and were able to kill off three of Portland’s four power play chances.

With the single point the Cougars record now sits at 20-23-1-1 and are now two points ahead of Vancouver for third place in the B.C. Division.

Next up for the Cougars, a rematch with Portland on Saturday at CN Centre.