Prince Albert 6 Prince George 2
Kody McDonald had to have this game circled on the calendar. A few weeks after being traded from the Prince George Cougars (18-24-3), his former team rolled into the Art Hauser Centre to take on his Prince Albert Raiders (19-20-7-2).
McDonald exacted some revenge on the team that traded away the 19-year-old, with a goal and two assists as the Raiders took down the visiting Cougars 6-2.
Jordy Stallard, Parker Kelly and Sean Montogmery each added two points apiece for the Raiders, who stay four points back of the Saskatoon Blades for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand.
McDonald opened the scoring while the Cougars were on the power play. He made a power move by former teammate Jared Bethune and slid the puck by Cougars goalie Tavin Grant for his 23rd this year, 3:51 in.
Josh Maser knotted the score at one around six minutes later. He solved Ian Scott’s glove on the rush for his 22nd this year.
The Raiders went back up when a missed shot by the Coufars caromed around and led to an odd-man break the other way. Montgomery found a trailing Stallard and the overage sniper drilled a shot past Grant for his 32nd on the season.
Liam Ryan then finished off an excellent play set up by Ilijah Colina to tie the game again 6:03 into the second.
After Ryan’s marker, it was all Raiders. Kelly gave them the lead back before the second was over as he took a pass from McDonald on the rush and beat Grant.
Then in the third, Curtis Miske rang one through, followed by Cole Fonstad and Montgomery on the power play and it was a 6-2 final.
The Cougars have lost four of five, while the Raiders have won three of four. Grant stopped 29 of 35, while Scott turned away 22 of 24.
The Cougars head to Saskatoon, while the Raiders host Edmonton on Saturday.
Victoria 4 @Vancouver 3 (OT)
With time ticking away and his team trailing 3-2, Tyler Benson provided the Vancouver Giants (25-16-5-3) with what they seem to have been missing a lot in his absences over the past few seasons, a big time goal from a big time player. He controlled the puck near the Victoria Royals (28-17-3-1) blue line and waited for traffic to coalesce near the Royals net before firing a low shot by goalie Griffen Outhouse. 
The goal, with 54 seconds let in regulation forced overtime.
Unfortunately for the Giants, the Royals recently acquired a player known for scoring big time goals in his own right. Tanner Kaspick netted the overtime winner 2:33 into overtime and the Royals took their sixth this year in nine tries against the home-standing Giants.
David Tendeck stopped 28 of 32 for the Giants, while Outhouse was less busy with 22 saves on 25 attempts.
Dawson Holt opened the scoring 2:54 into the game for the Giants, but was answered back by a marker from Andrei Grishakov.
Benson netted his first of two on the night to give the Giants their second lead and a 2-1 advantage after 20.
Kaspick tied the game 7:25 into the middle frame before Matthew Phillips provided them with the lead they would hold before Benson’s heroics.
Kaspick’s OT winner gives him three game winning goals this year and 10 in his career.
The Royals play host to the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday while the Giants are off until next Wednesday when they host those same Hitmen.
Everett 3 Seattle 1
The home and home season series over the past few years between the Seattle Thunderbirds (25-17-4-2) and Everett Silvertips (31-16-1-1) have provided fans in the Puget Sound area with some exciting games.
Friday night’s tilt up in Everett was another one. The ‘Tips ended up gutting out a 3-1 win over the visiting T-birds and extended their lead in the U.S. Division out to four points with Portland losing in Kamloops. The ‘Tips also extended their win streak to eight.
Matt Foneyne, who is coming off being named the WHL’s player of the week found Bryce Kindopp with a slick feed for the game’s opening goal. He extended his point streak to nine and has 24 points in that span. 
Austin Strand scored yet another power play goal to tie the game up with 8:10 left in the first. He took a cross-ice feed from Samuel Huo and beat Carter Hart with a wrist shot for his 16th this year. Matthew Wedman provided the screen.
Fonteyne then scored the eventual winner just 34 seconds into the second. While on the power play, Fonteyne waited out Seattle d-man Turner Ottenbreit and sniped a shot over Seattle goalie Liam Hughes’ glove for his second point of the game and 29th goal on the year.
Connor Dewar then provided some insurance with 10:20 left to seal the 3-1 win.
Hart stopped 20 of 21 and inches closer to Everett’s career wins mark. Hughes came back from an injury he suffered in a game a couple weeks ago against Portland and turned away 30 of 33.
