Late goals sink Rockets

Photo: Wayne Moore - File Photo

Kyle Topping had a two-point night in a losing cause Wednesday.

The Prince George Cougars snatched victory from the jaws of defeat Wednesday.

The Cougars forced overtime in the dying moments of regulation time, then got the game winner with seconds to go in overtime in a 4-3 victory over the visiting Kelowna Rockets.

The loss stretches the Rockets losing streak to three.

The Cougars held a 2-1 lead heading into the final period, but the Rockets struck quickly to get the equalizer when Lane Zablocki drilled his second of the season just 55 seconds into the final frame.

Then, with eight minutes to go, Kyle Topping took advantage of a turnover at the side of the Cougars net and tapped the puck past Taylor Gauthier. The shorthanded effort, his ninth of the season, gave the Rockets a 3-2 lead.

They kept the Cougars at bay until late in the frame, with Gauthier on the bench for a sixth attacker, Vladislav Mikhalchuk beat Roman Basran with just 16 seconds left to force the extra period.

In overtime, Josh Maser won it for the Cougars with a goal off the rush with just six ticks remaining.

Erik Gardiner also scored for the Rockets, as he opened the scoring three minutes into the game.

Prince George responded with a pair of unanswered goals in the second for a 2-1 lead after 40.

Basran turned away 29 shots as the Cougars outshot Kelowna 33-31 on the evening.

The Rockets are 1-2-1-0 on a six-game road trip that now heads east for stops in Red Deer Friday and Edmonton Saturday.