Coming into Friday’s game, Kamloops goaltender Connor Ingram was 6-2-0-1 lifetime against the Prince George Cougars. On a night where the Cougars outshot the Blazers 47-20 through 65 minutes, it was the 18-year-old product of Imperial, SK who stole two points for his team in a 4-3 Blazers shootout victory over the Prince George Cougars. Ryan Rehill and Dawson Davidson scored two goals 22 seconds apart in the late stages in the third period to tie the game at three, and Ingram did the rest stopping 44 of the 47 shots fired his way and then all three in the shootout. Colby McAuley, Jansen Harkins and Chase Witala responded with goals for the Cougars who with the single point have earned points in six straight home games and points in three straight games.

After a scoreless first period both teams had reason for optimism. The Cougars outshot the Blazers 13-3 and held a lopsided territorial edge. But Kamloops went into the second tied. 37 seconds into the middle frame though the Cougars were able to solve Connor Ingram when Colby McAuley knocked home a Jared Bethune rebound from beside the goal for his third of the season. McAuley’s goal came on the 18^th shot of the game for the Cougars. At the time they were outshooting the Blazers 18-3.

Back came the Blazers though at the 7:27 mark of the second while skating four-on-four. Nick McBride turned aside Collin Shirley’s initial shot attempt, but Ondrej Vala pounced on a rebound off of McBride’s pad and knocked a shot home into the empty net to tie the game at one.

From there Kamloops seems to gain a burst of momentum, and were even given a 1:17 worth of five-on-three power play time. But credit the Cougars defenders who did their part by blocking some shots, and making the key defensive plays when called upon and the Blazers were held without a shot. The second period ended with the score 1-1.

After two periods the shots were 28-10, and again both teams had reason to feel good about themselves heading into the third.

The Cougars were eventually rewarded for their offensive persistence early in the third when Jansen Harkins restored their lead at the 2:44 mark on a power play. Chase Witala then streaked down the left wing and snuck a shot from the left wing through Connor Ingram and home for his 10^th of the season, and at the halfway point of the final period the Cougars held a 3-1 lead.

Coming into this game the Blazers had earned at least a point in 10 straight games, and to their credit they did not give up. Ryan Rehill helped move the Blazers back within one goal when he pinched from the right point and knocked home a Matt Revel pass from the far end of the ice for his second of the season.

Then 22 seconds later Dawson Davidson tied the game after he crashed the net hard and scooped home a Collin Shirley rebound that snuck it’s way past Nick McBride and was resting along the goal line.

The shots after 60 minutes were 44-17 but each team earned a valuable single point. For the Cougars it was their second time in over time in 2015-16 and for the Blazers, their fifth.

20 seconds into overtime Blazers forward Deven Sideroff thought he’d won the game for his team when he scored from in close, but both officials waved off the goal as they ruled that accidental interference had taken place on Cougars netminder Nick McBride.

In the final stages of overtime, Brad Morrison had a great chance to win the game for Prince George, but Connor Ingram sprawled to his right and got the paddle of his stick on Morrison’s deke attempt keeping the game at 3-3.

65 minutes solved nothing which meant both teams were heading to the shootout for the first time this season.

Brogan O’Brien shot first for Prince George and he was denied by the right pad of Connor Ingram. Deven Sideroff then skated in alone on McBride and was turned away by his left pad.

Jesse Gabrielle was up next and his attempt was turned away by the blocker of Ingram, which set the table for Kamloops forward Jake Kryski who was able to sneak a shot underneath the blocker of McBride and home to give the Blazers a 1-0 shootout lead.

Chase Witala had to score to keep the Cougars hopes alive, and he was poke checked by Ingram and the game ended 4-3 in favor of the Blazers.

The final shot tally was 47-21 for the Blazers who improved their record to 11-8-3-0. They’ve now earned four straight victories against the Cougars this season.

The Cougars will certainly take the single point. Their record now sits at 12-9-1-1. Their penalty kill went three-for-three and their power play finished one-for-three.

These two teams won’t have to wait long to get reacquainted as they will duke it out again tonight at the CN Centre.