(Image Credit: Facebook/Prince George Cougars)

By Aaron Schulze

Giants 5 Cougars 2

Cougars can’t complete comeback, fall to Giants 5-2

Oct 21, 2026 | 6:30 AM

PRINCE GEORGE — The Prince George Cougars fell behind early and couldn’t come back as they fell to the Vancouver Giants at home Tuesday (Oct. 20) night 5-2.

The Cougars surrendered a shorthanded goal just over a minute into the game and trailed 3-0 after two periods.

Tre Peck got the Cougars into the fight by finishing off a passing play on the power play to cut the deficit 3-1. Kayden Lemire set up Townes Kozicky for a tip-in goal off the rush at the halfway mark of the third period to get the Cougars within one.

However, Giants forward Mathis Preston – a second round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft – completed a hat trick to restore his team’s two-goal lead. The Giants added one more goal with just over three minutes to play to secure the 5-2 win.

Prince George falls to 3-4-0-1 on the 2026-27 Western Hockey League season, good for seven points in eight games.

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Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Giants, Jakob Oreskovic (4) unassisted (shorthanded), 1:02

2-0, Giants, Mathis Preston (7) from Kaleb Hartmann and Blake Chorney, 16:25

Second Period

3-0, Giants, Mathis Preston 2 (8) from Cam Parr and Louis Oscar Holowaychuk, 8:48

Third Period

3-1, Cougars, Tre Peck (4) from Dmitri Yakutsenak and Kayden Lemire (power play), 8:15

3-2, Cougars, Townes Kozicky (1) from Kayden Lemire, 10:03

4-2, Giants, Mathis Preston 3 (9) from Cam Parr and Derek Thurston, 14:27

5-2, Giants, Crosby Mateychuk (2) from Tobias Tomik and Sam Charko, 16:35

Goaltending

Burke Hood (W), Giants, 25 saves on 27 shots in 60 minutes played.

Peyton Shore (L), Cougars, 26 saves on 31 shots in 60 minutes played.

by Aaron Schulze

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