Spokane Chiefs cough up five-goal third in loss to Prince George

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C – Kody McDonald scored a power-play goal at the start of the third period – the first of five in the frame – to break open a close game and the Prince George Cougars romped over the Spokane Chiefs 7-2 on Tuesday in Western Hockey League action.

The five goals given up in the third was a season-high for Spokane (24-24-6-3, 57 points), which remains eight points behind Portland for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Chiefs got on the board first just 81 seconds in, with Jaret Anderson-Dolan completing a two-on-one rush with Alex Mowbray with a snap shot from the right wing for his 32nd goal of the season.

It was all downhill from there.

Jared Bethune answered for Prince George midway through the first, then Aaron Boyd tallied on a short-handed breakaway early in the second.

McDonald scored the game-winner at 3:28 of the third, which started an avalanche of third-period goals. Prince George was 2 of 5 on the power play in the third period.

Jansen Harkins registered his 18th of the season on the power play at the nine-minute mark, followed by Colby McAuley (20th) and Brad Morrison (21st).

Spokane’s Ethan McIndoe broke up the six-goal progression with his 15th of the season with just under two minutes to play, but Prince George even rebuffed that, as Jackson Leppard tallied with 24 seconds remaining.

The Chiefs continue their four-game road trip with their third of the run on Friday at Kelowna at 7:05 p.m.