Only one game to highlight the WHL slate on Tuesday night and was it ever a back-and-forth affair.

The Vancouver Giants played host to the Prince George Cougars in a B.C. Division clash at the Langley Events Centre. On one side of the puck, the Cougars came into the contest winners of two straight over the Victoria Royals, while the Giants were still looking for a win, having dropped their opening outings with the Everett Silvertips.

The goal scoring came in bunches at both ends of the rink, but when the final buzzer sounded, it was the visiting Cougars escaping with a wild 7-6 victory. COMPLETE BOXSCORE

Left winger Jared Bethune registered a hat trick for the Cougars, while left winger Colby McAuley and centre Kody McDonald each chipped in with a goal and two assists.

To open the game, Tate Olson (1), Jared Bethune (1) and Justin Almeida (2) scored consecutively, giving the Cougars a 3-0 lead by the time the game was 11:49 into its proceedings. Only 27 seconds later, Alex Kannok-Leipert (1) got the Giants on the board and back within two. But before the opening period came to a close, Josh Curtis (1) put the visitors back in front by a three spot.

The first 10 minutes of the second period passed by relatively uneventful. Then, over a span of 5:09, the Giants rattled off three consecutive goals of their own to tie the game at 4-4. First, Dylan Plouffe (1) found the back of the net. Then Brendan Semchuk (1) got his team within one on the power play. Finally, new Giant Taden Rattie (1) – acquired over the weekend from Red Deer – knotted the game.

After the onslaught from the home squad, Bethune (2) broke the momentum, scoring with only 47 seconds left in the second period to give the Cougars a 5-4 edge after 40 minutes.

With a power-play opportunity early in the third period, McAuley (4) put the Cougars ahead by two once again.

Down but not out, the Giants battled back yet again. In a matter of 1:57, Jack Flaman (3) and recently returned import Radovan Bondra (1) scored back-to-back goals, evening the score at 6-6 with 6:58 to play.

The final dagger of the night came courtesy Bethune (3), who completed the hat trick by scoring the game-winning goal with 4:17 to play in regulation, sending the Giants to their third consecutive defeat.

When all was said and done, the Cougars were 1-for-3 with the man advantage, while the Giangts went 1-for-6.

Between the pipes, it was Ty Edmonds claiming the victory for the Cougars, making 10 saves on 12 shots after coming on in relief of Nick McBride, who had started the game. McBride was yanked after allowing the fourth Vancouver goal during the second period at which point he had faced 16 shots.

At the other end of the rink, Ryan Kubic batted away 25 of the 32 shots sent his way.

While Bethune, McAuley and Almeida all registered three-point outings, Dawson Holt (2A), Rattie (1G, 1A), Semchuk (1G, 1A) and Bondra (1G, 1A) each had multi-point efforts for the Giants.

With the win, the Cougars (3-0-0-0) extend their B.C. Division lead and will travel to Kelowna to take on the Rockets (1-1-0-0) Wednesday night (7:05 p.m. PDT). Meanwhile, the Giants slip to 0-3-0-0 and will host the Seattle Thunderbirds (0-1-0-0) on Sept. 30 (7:30 p.m. PDT).