Silvertips fall to Cougars in return from break

EVERETT — Sixteen-year-old rookie goaltender Braden Holt made 19 saves in his Western Hockey League debut after relieving starter Keegan Karki in the first period, but the Everett Silvertips couldn’t overcome a two-goal deficit in a 4-3 loss to the Prince George Cougars on Friday night at Angel of the Winds Arena.

The Silvertips (24-7-2-0) and Cougars (9-20-1-3) traded goals early on, as Prince George’s Josh Maser scored at 5:04 in the first period and Everett’s Dawson Butt answered at 6:14 to tie the game at 1-1.

But Prince George built a two-goal cushion by the end of the opening 20 minutes after Filip Koffer and Blake Eastman’s goals at 13:14 and 15:36, respectively.

The Silvertips tied the game on Bryce Kindopp’s second-period goal and Butt’s second goal of the game in the third, but Prince George’s Ilijah Colina scored the game-winning goal at 2:34 in the third to put the Cougars up 4-3.

After the Portland Winterhawks topped the Tri-City Americans, 3-2, in overtime on Friday, the Silvertips are now tied with the Winterhawks atop the U.S. Division with 50 points.

Josh Horton covers the Silvertips for The Herald. Follow him on Twitter, @JoshHortonEDH