(Photo by MyLight Photography)
With a four game losing streak against the Nanaimo Clippers, the Prince George Spruce Kings were looking to end a drought that dated to the season opener of the 2014/15 season.
In his first BCHL game, Ryan Stack got off to a good start as he drew a penalty with Aiden Casey going off for holding. The Spruce Kings were unable to convert on the man-advantge.
It took halfway through the first for the first goal of the game to come, but it was well worth the wait. Cutting down the left wing, Brett Mennear was able to spot Lee on the far side, and fed him a pass that the South Korean forward snapped home for his eighth of the season. Jamie Huber picked up the secondary assist as the line was constructed with Lee moving up after Campbell was out with an injury.
Two minutes into the second, it was the former Spruce Kings AP nearly tying the game as Austin Crossley took a cross ice fed, but was stopped by the right leg of Grant. Being unable to convert would prove costly, as just over a minute later, Jamie Huber took a sharp angled shot that was able to beat Evan DeBrouwer. That would do it for the netminder’s night as he was pulled in favour of Austin Roden who grew up in Victoria, but has heavy family roots in PG.
Connor Russell would head to the penalty box just before the halfway mark of the middle frame after a cross-check on a Clipper that threw a heavy hit on his D-partner Tyler Anderson. Prince George would kill off the opportunity, and the red hot Jarod Hovde struck shortly after making it 3-0. A great stick from behind the net by de Jong stole the puck away, and he was able to shovel the puck out front for Hovde. The Camrose native was coming off a five point night against the Coquitlam Express which tied a career high set earlier this season against the Surrey Eagles.
Roden’s best save of the second came with 5:22 left as Hunter Luhmann took the puck off a faceoff, and fired a quick wrister that Roden was able to handle with the glove.
Prince George would take advantage of some luck in the third, as Roden broke his stick in net, and was forced to use a player’s stick. The Spruce Kings kept getting pushed out of the offensive zone, but Connor Russell would eventually walk in, and beat the Nanaimo netminder to put his team ahead 4-0.
Prince George would head to the power play with seven to go, but it was the Clippers that would strike. A drop pass was mishandled at the Clippers blueline, and the visitors took advantage as Spencer Hewson took a feed from Matt Creamer, and got a step on Tyler Anderson before beating Grant blocker side. Nanaimo would go for the hail mary late in the game pulling their goalie down three goals. Ben Brar making his Spruce Kings debut would seal the deal with 2:27 in the game, as he was able to fling the puck into the empty cage. For good measure, Tyler Anderson added a late goal for the 6-1 final score.
With a goal and assist Jamie Huber was named the third star of the game, Brett Mennear had two helpers for the second, and Connor Russell with a goal and two assists was the first. Jarod Hovde had one goal, and was the FortisBC energy player of the game.
The Prince George Spruce Kings are back on home ice tomorrow when they take on the Surrey Eagles, while the Nanaimo Clippers continue their road trip with a visit down to Langley.
