The month of February kicked off with a bang for the Prince George Cougars on Friday night. Jari Erricson scored twice, Aaron Macklin and Kody McDonald each added a single, and Ty Edmonds (playing in his 100^th career game) made 34 saves, including 18 in the third period en route to a 4-2 Cougar victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. The victory helped move the Cougars back to within two points of third place in the B.C. Division.

3:44 into the first period the Cougars got on the board when Aaron Macklin used his speed to create a breakaway for himself down the left-wing side. Macklin went in alone on Tristan Jarry and stuffed the puck in through his pads to give him his fourth goal of the season. Macklin’s goal was unassisted.

Back came the Edmonton Oil Kings at 5:29. Edmonton defenceman Dysin Mayo took an Edgars Kulda pass at the point, snuck into the left wing circle and beat Ty Edmonds down low for his 11^th of the season.

Prince George restored the lead at the 14:19 mark of the first when Kody McDonald pounced on a loose puck in the high slot, took two strides and then ripped a wrist shot past the blocker, under the crossbar and in for his fourth of the season. McDonald’s goal also came unassisted.

The Cougars outshot the Oil Kings 9-7 after the first and led 2-1 after one.

Jari Erricson increased the Cougars lead to 3-1 at the 4:54 mark of the second thanks to some great work down low by Tyler Mrkonjic and Kody McDonald. Mrkonjic got the puck to McDonald behind the net, and McDonald wasted little time centering the puck in front to the wide open Erricson who did the rest beating Jarry for his 16^th of the season.

Then at the 10:40 mark, Erricson would strike again when he redirected home a Kirk Bear point-shot from in front of the Oil King net. Erricson’s 17^th spelled the end of the night for Tristan Jarry who was pulled after allowing four goals on 16 shots.

In came Patrick Dea for Edmonton, and he was greeted with a number of quality chances from the Cougars. But he made key saves off of Josh Connolly and Jari Erricson to keep the game at 4-1 for his team.

A scary moment occurred late in the second when Mads Eller sent Josh Connolly face first into the boards after a late hit in the offensive zone. Connolly left the game and Eller was assessed a double-minor penalty for boarding.

After two periods the Cougars led 4-1 and were outshooting Edmonton 22-17.

Edmonton got back within two goals early in the third when Davis Koch knocked home an Edgars Kulda rebound at the side of the Cougars goal on a power play at the 1:50 mark.

From there, the Oil Kings peppered the Cougars goal with 18 more shots, but Ty Edmonds was up to the task stopping them all, including a diving stop with the paddle of his stick off of Mads Eller towards the later stages of the third.

Edmonton would outshoot the Cougars 36-27, but the Cougars held on to secure their 21^st victory of the season. The power play went zero-for-five for Prince George and their penalty kill went one-for-two.

The win for Prince George coupled with the Kamloops loss in Kelowna moves the Cougars back to within two points of third place in the B.C. Division. The Vancouver Giants also won on Friday, meaning there is still some extremely close parity in the B.C. Division between third, fourth and fifth.

Tomorrow night the Cougars will look inch even closer to a playoff spot when they take on the Edmonton Oil Kings in a rematch. Saturday’s game is the fourth Feature Game of the season for the Cougars and a big crowd is expected to help the Cougars cause.

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Tonight’s game was the 100^th game in the young career of Cougars goaltender Ty Edmonds who improved his season record to 19-20-1-1.

Also before the game, Jansen Harkins (forward) and Kirk Bear (defence) were named the Ryobi Hardest Working Players of the Month in January for the Cougars.