It’s not over until the final buzzer sounds.
The Prince George Cougars erased a two-goal deficit late in the third period to earn a 5-4 overtime win over the Spokane Chiefs.
The Chiefs led 4-2 late in the third, thanks to a pair of goals from Berkly Catton, a projected first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
One Roulette-Catton special coming right up 🚨
Rou makes a beautiful pass over to Berk, who fires home his second goal of the night for a 4-2 lead!#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/FYLuUenT1R
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) March 3, 2024
After Catton scored his second, a number of the 3,960 fans at the CN Centre made their way to the exits, and missed out on an exciting finish.
With a little over a minute to go, Viliam Kmec brought the Cougars back within one with a laser from the point.
With 30 seconds to go, Zac Funk sent the remaining fans at the CN Centre into a frenzy, tying the game on the powerplay with the net empty.
FUNK DIDN’T HEAR NO BELL.#ALLCAPS @Capitals https://t.co/XC7Upcr8tS pic.twitter.com/rG29UnIOGE
— xy – Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) March 3, 2024
In the extra period, Riley Heidt buried the winner to seal the 5-4 win.
2 GOALS IN THE LAST MINUTE OF REGULATION, HEIDT ENDS IT IN OT!!!@mnwild #mnwild pic.twitter.com/iOraUAUoYW
— xy – Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) March 3, 2024
“My whole thought process the whole way was Funker, he’s got sixty for a reason,” Heidt said on the post-game show on 94.3 the Goat.
“I was going to get him the puck, but maybe I faked the goalie out, he probably wasn’t expecting a shot, I was trying to go far side, either hit pad for Funker or it goes in, got lucky, it’s a good feeling.”
“It was a grindy game, it was a tough game, I really like the way we just stuck with it, obviously the comeback’s incredible, but we didn’t die on the bench, we just kept it going and we ended up getting the win,” said Cougars Head Coach and GM Mark Lamb..
“That’s our team, we don’t quit, we just come back.”
Matteo Danis and Carlin Dezainde scored the first two for the Cougars.
Da𝖓𝖎𝖈𝖊 https://t.co/9Rd0TpytWq pic.twitter.com/jK6xP0MEWe
— xy – Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) March 3, 2024
Dez says NEW GAME. https://t.co/OzbwZShXCZ pic.twitter.com/BRGCVOnPYs
— xy – Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) March 3, 2024
Ty Young got the start in net for the Cougars, making 18 saves.
The Cougars outshot the Chiefs 38-22.
The full box score can be found here.
The Cougars (41-15-1-3) sit atop the WHL’s Western Conference, one point ahead of the Portland Winterhawks. (41-15-2-1)
If the playoffs started today, the Cougars would play Spokane (25-28-5-1) in the first round.
The full WHL standings can be found here.
The Cougars will be back in action at the CN Centre Friday against the Vancouver Giants.
The full Cougars schedule can be found here.