(Image Credit: Prince George Cougars)

By Aaron Schulze

Cougars 3 Blazers 2 SO

Blazers fall to Cougars on the road 3-2 in a shootout

Mar 18, 2026 | 7:01 AM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers fell to the Prince George Cougars 3-2 in a shootout Tuesday (March 17) in a potential playoff preview. 

The Blazers opened the scoring in the first period in Prince George. Harrison Brunicke set up Nathan Behm in the slot to make it 1-0 Blazers early in the first period in Prince George. However, the Cougars responded twice and took a 2-1 lead heading into the second frame. 

Vit Zahejsky tied the game for the Blazers early in the second period, firing home a wrist shot off the rush from the left circle. The game would remain deadlocked at 2-2 through the third period and overtime. 

In the shootout, the Cougars converted on their first two shootout attempts while JP Hurlbert and Josh Evaschesen were unable to score. 

The Blazers picked up a point in the shootout loss, giving them a record of 29-24-7-6 in the 2025-26 Western Hockey League (WHL) season, good for 71 points in 66 games. 

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With two games remaining in the regular season, the Blazers sit sixth in the WHL Western Conference standings. Kamloops is tied with the Spokane Chiefs in points but trail them in the overall wins tie breaker by six. 

Further up the standings, the Cougars sit third in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the fourth-place Kelowna Rockets. If the season were to end today, the Blazers would face off against the Cougars in the first round of the 2026 WHL playoffs. 

The Blazers were 1-3-2-2 against the Cougars during the regular season. 

The Blazers conclude their regular season schedule this weekend with a home-and-home series against the Vancouver Giants. Kamloops plays its final home game of the season Friday (March 20) at 7:00 p.m. from Sandman Centre. 

Scoring Summary 

First Period 

1-0, Blazers, Nathan Behm (37) from Harrison Brunicke and Cooper Moore, 7:05 

1-1, Cougars, Terik Parascak (33) from Brock Souch and Aiden Foster, 14:19 

2-1, Cougars, Koy Funk (5) from Dawson Seitz and Riley Ashe, 19:46 

Second Period 

2-2, Blazers, Vit Zahejsky (7) from Ty Bonkowski and Carson Olsen, 6:58 

Third Period 

No scoring. 

Overtime 

No scoring. 

Shootout – Cougars 

Dmitri Yakutsenak, goal 

Aiden Foster, goal 

Shootout – Blazers 

JP Hurlbert, no goal. 

Josh Evaschesen, no goal. 

Goaltending 

Joshua Ravensbergen (W), Cougars, 34 saves on 36 shots in 65 minutes played. 

Logan Edmonstone (SOL), Blazers, 27 saves on 29 shots in 65 minutes played.