Cougars Drop 5-4 Loss To Spokane

By 250 News

Brett Connolly's 40th goal and Taylor Stefishen's record setting point were unfortunately overshadowed by a 5-4 loss to the Spokane Chiefs Friday night at CN Centre.

The Cougars were looking to atone from an 8-0 loss to the Chiefs a week earlier in Spokane as they kicked off a three game home stand against Spokane Friday.  The Chiefs were awarded a power play mid-way through the first period and made it count, when Blake Gal ripped home a shot from the left wing side past Ty Rimmer, who was looking for the puck after it bounced off the end boards.  The Chiefs had a 16-5 margin in shots in the opening frame.

Taylor Makin picked up a hard earned assist in the second period to help get the Cougars on the board at 5:16.  After Makin blocked a shot near the right point at the Cougars line, the puck skipped out to centre where James Dobrowolski picked it up and went in on a 2-on-1 with Tayler Thompson.  Dobrowolski settled the rolling puck down as he closed in on goal, then sent a cross-crease pass to Thompson who made no mistake for his third goal of the season and has a goal in back-to-back games.  The Chiefs got the lead back at 9:59 when Jared Cowan pinched in from the left point and scored off a centering feed to give the Chiefs a 2-1 lead.  Just 24 seconds later, Connolly hollered for a pass at centre and got it from Stefishen.  Using his speed down the right wing, Connolly went by Cowan and snapped home his 40th goal on the blocker side of James Reid to tie the game at two.  Connolly becomes just the sixth Cougars player to reach the 40 goal mark and the first since Eric Hunter did so five years ago.  Stefishen's assist broke Connolly's rookie points record that was sent in 2009, with Stefishen picking up his 61st point of the season.  But the Chiefs took advantage of a Cougars turn-over and Levko Koper made it 3-2 at 14:42 and Tyler Johnson scored his 47th goal 16 seconds later to put Spokane up 4-2.  The Chiefs carried the two goal lead to the dressing room, out-shooting the Cougars 13-11 in the second period.

Cowan scored his second goal of the game at 7:27 and the Chiefs had built a 5-2 third period lead.  But the Cougars climbed back in the game with two power play goals.  Troy Bourke finished off a perfect pass from Dobrowolski for his 17th goal of the season at 14:04.  Sena Acolatse picked up an assist.  Bourke and Nick Buonassisi got together to help set up Charles Inglis, who rifled home his 29th goal of the year on a one-time shot in the slot on a 5-on-3 Cougars power play, making it 5-4 Spokane.  But that's as close as the Cougars would come, dropping a 5-4 decision to the Chiefs and falling to 29-32-2-2 on the year.  The Chiefs picked up their 41st win of the season and stay three points back of the Portland Winterhawks for first in the US division.  The Chiefs out-shot the Cougars 18-12 in the third and 47-28 in the game.  The Cougars went 2-for-6 on the power play and the Chiefs were 1-for-2.

The two teams will finish the season series Saturday night at CN Centre.  Saturday is the Cougars parents and billets night and the team awards will be handed out as well.  The team will also honor it's three 20-year olds; Taylor Stefishen, James Dobrowolski and Sena Acolatse.  Puck drop is 7:00pm and Tickets are available by calling Ticketmaster at 250-564-5585.

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