Photo Credit: Chuck Chin
PRINCE GEORGE- It was a weird, wacky Wednesday for the Prince George Spruce Kings, who welcomed in the Coquitlam Express.
A rare Wednesday game at Kopar Memorial Arena got the Spruce Kings back into the win collum, beating the express by a final score of 5-4.
The first period was nothing but a parade to the penalty box for both teams. Prince George was assessed two penalties in the first 20 minutes, and Coquitlam was given four. Neither team would capitalize with the extra attacker.
The second period would bring the game’s first goals. Coquitlam would strike first. Noah Dziver (’05) scored his first goal of the season, beating Spruce Kings goalie Marcus Ouellet (’04) on the blocker side.
Moments after that, the Spruce Kings struck for their first goal of the game. On a two-on-one play set up by Brogan McNeil (’06), Skogen Schrott (’05) found his winger Kazumo Sasaki (’05), who buried his third goal of the season.
Ten minutes later, the Spruce Kings would strike again. Sasaki slung a pass from one board to the other, and on the receiving end was Linden Makow (’04), who let a quick shot go, beating Express goaltender Adam Manji (’03) on the power-play. 2-1 was the score after two periods.
Prince George would start fast in period three. 13 seconds into the final frame, Kilian McGregor-Bennett (’03) would find a rebound in the slot and rip a shot past Manji. The goal would be good for McGregor-Bennet’s seventh of the season.
The Spruce Kings would go up 4-1 early in the third period after Makow would add his second of the game. On a play crashing towards the net, Makow would throw a puck to the slot and deflect into the net off the skate of an Express defenceman.
Lucas Veilleux (’05) would also get on the board for the Spruce Kings, scoring his second goal of the season.
The final five minutes of the game saw the Express score three times in desperation. However, it wouldn’t be enough as the Spruce Kings got their fifth win of the season, beating Coquitlam 5-4.
Game Summary
Scoring
Prince George: K. Sasaki (3), L. Makow (4), K. McGregor-Bennett (7), L. Makow (5), L. Veileux (5)
Coquitlam: N. Dziver (1), D. Garzone (4), Joseph Odyniec (7), D. Garzone (5)
Goaltending
Marcus Ouellet (W) 60:00 (4GA 38 saves)
Adam Manji (L) 57:18 (5GA 27 saves)
Power-play
Prince George: 1/7
Coquitlam: 1/5
Next game: The Spruce Kings will hit the road for two games this weekend. Friday, Prince George will be in Penticton to take on the Vees. Saturday, the Spruce Kings head to Merrit to take on the Centennials.
