A weekend double header that started with heartbreak ended with jubilation Saturday for the Prince George Cougars. Saturday night in front of a crowd of 10,095 fans, the Prince George Cougars earned a 3-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Brad Morrison broke open a 2-2 tie with a late power play goal at 13:53 of the final period and goaltender Nick McBride made 25 saves on 27 shots faced to help the Cougars avenge a heartbreaking loss one night earlier.

After a scoreless first period where the Cougars badly outshot Portland 20-8, the Winterhawks scored their Teddy Bear goal at 3:27 of the second period when Alex Schoenborn raced down the right wing and snuck a high shot over the shoulder of Nick McBride and home for his 10^th and a 1-0 Portland lead. That goal came on a power play.

After a 15 minute delay the game restarted and the Cougars would eventually capitalize on a power play chance of their own. Colby McAuley deflected home a Joe Carvalho point shot past Adin Hill to tie the game at one. McAuley’s seventh of the season came at the 10:02 mark of the second.

Just over three minutes later Bartek Bison moved the Cougars ahead when he left the penalty box, raced down the left wing and snuck a shot past the right pad of Adin Hill from the left circle. The Cougars took their 2-1 lead into the second intermission. The shots were 30-17 for Prince George after two.

Early in the third, Rihards Bukarts struck for Portland to tie the game at two, and from there the teams traded chances with neither goaltender relenting. Nick McBride and Adin Hill went tic-for-tack making some timely saves, until the final half of the period when the Cougars were given their sixth power play of the game.

Brad Morrison buried his 10^th of the season off a terrific pass from Jansen Harkins at the side of the Portland net. Morrison weaved into the slot and ripped a hard low shot past the glove of Hill and home to move the Cougars ahead by a goal and moving their power play to two-for-six on the night.

Portland pulled their goaltender and had a great opportunity in the final seconds, but Nick McBride beat Caleb Jones to a loose puck and snatched his shot out of the air with his glove to keep his team ahead by a 3-2 score. With seven seconds left the Cougars controlled the faceoff in the defensive zone, the final buzzer sounded and the Cougars piled onto the ice and celebrated with their goaltender as they earned their seventh road victory of the season and their 19^th victory overall.

Special teams were a big difference in the game as the Cougars went two-for-six on the power play and killed off seven of Portland’s eight power play chances. The Cougars outshot Portland 42-27. The victory moves the Cougars record against Portland this season to 3-1 and their overall record to 19-10-1-1.

Next up for the Cougars: The Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday night at ShoWare Center. It’s their final road game before the holiday break.