PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — For the first time this season the Everett Silvertips have a winning streak, and for the first time in a long time the Tips are no longer propping up the rest of the WHL’s Western Conference.

Josh Winquist scored two goals, and the Tips completed a two-game sweep of the Prince George Cougars, holding on for a 4-3 victory Saturday night.

It took 51 games for the Tips to win back-to-back games this season. But with the victories on consecutive nights at Prince George, Everett (12-30-1-8) passed the Cougars for ninth place in the conference. With Victoria also losing Saturday, the Tips moved within four points of the conference’s eighth and final playoff position.

Austin Adam and Josh Birkholz also scored for Everett, while Kent Simpson made 16 saves in net for the Tips. The 19 shots allowed on goal was the fewest Everett has allowed in a game this season.

Greg Fraser, Spencer Asuchak and Dalton Siwak scored for Prince George (15-31-0-2), which rallied from a 4-1 deficit to make it interesting. Drew Owsley stopped 24 shots in net for the Cougars.

Everett got off to a perfect start. The Tips got on the scoreboard just 1 minute, 49 seconds into the game as Adam’s shot found the top corner. Then on Everett’s first power play the Tips converted at 5:32, Birkholz putting a shot from the circle through traffic and past Owsley to make it 2-0.

The Tips were in control, but a mistake let the Cougars back into it late in the first. Cody Fowlie’s pass was intercepted by Fraser, and Fraser shot past Simpson to cut the lead to 2-1.

Everett regained control in the second when Winquist scored on consecutive shifts to make it 4-1. He struck first at 5:27, converting a feed from Ryan Harrison after Harrison was denied on a breakaway chance. Then Winquist scored again at 7:31, taking a feed out front from Ryan Chynoweth.

Prince George got back within two on a power-play goal at 11:30, Asuchak scoring his sixth goals in for games against the Tips.

The Cougars then pulled within one 2:18 into the third as Siwak took advantage of a turnover to make it 4-3. The Cougars then had two power plays in the game’s final seven minutes, but the Tips killed them off to preserve the victory.

Silvertips 4, Cougars 3

Everett220—4

Prince George111—3

First Period—1, Everett, Adam 2 (Lofthouse), 1:49. 2, Everett, Birkholz 23 (Fowlie, Yadlowski), 5:32 (pp). 3, Prince George, Fraser 12, 17:35. Penalties—Asuchak, Prince George (interference), 5:16; Bourke, Prince George (tripping), 17:51.

Second Period—4, Everett, Winquist 11 (Harrison), 5:27. 5, Everett, Winquist 12 (Boyd, Chynoweth), 7:31. 6, Prince George, Asuchak 13 (Fontaine, Tkatch), 11:30 (pp). Penalties—Grayson, Everett (cross checking), 9:34; Fraser, Prince George (tripping), 14:55; Murray, Everett (high sticking), 18:29.

Third Period—7, Prince George, Siwak 8, 2:18. Penalties—A. Forsberg, Prince George (tripping), 6:52; Yadlowski, Everett (instigator-fighting-10-minute misconduct), 13:06; Fraser, Prince George (fighting), 13:06; Bittner, Everett (tripping), 18:00.

Shots on goal—Everett 10-9-9—28. Prince George 8-5-6—19. Power-play opportunities—Everett 1 of 4. Prince George 1 of 4.

Goalies—Everett, Simpson 10-24-1-5 (19 shots, 16 saves). Prince George, Owsley 14-26-0-1 (28 shots, 24 saves).

A—1,807.