The Prince George Spruce Kings used a four goal second period, and the eventual game winner from Tai Ushio in a 5-4 victory over the Victoria Grizzlies on Friday night, erasing a 3-1 deficit in the process.
Dennison Monahan scored off a turnover at 13:29 of the opening frame, before Artur Gross scored with just 10.3 seconds left in the first period to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.
The Spruce Kings responded just 1:20 into the second period as Mason Loewen took a Trent LeDrew pass off the side boards, and as he tried to send it across for River Arnason who was driving the net, it would ricochet off a Grizzlies defender and in.
Victoria responded right away when Michael Dowdall’s wrist shot from the blue line fooled Colin Reay to make it a 3-1 game.
Prince George responded with three goals in 4:44 as Ben Vreugdenhil a loose puck into an empty cage after his initial shot was blocked as Ushio picked up the assist.
Then on the power play just 1:23 later, Marcus Lougheed unleashed a one-time for his seventh of the season from Ozbej Rep and Ushio.
Lougheed would get back at it at 12:58 of the second, as he put one top corner from the bottom of the left circle as Ushio fed him the perfect pass. It ended an attack which saw all three of the forwards get involved, as Vreugdenhil picked up his second point.
Ushio would score the eventual game winner at 1:36 when his spinning backhand crossed the line on the man advantage after Carter Hesselgrave lifted a defenseman’s stick to get it out front. Rep picked up his second assist on the goal.
Trae Johnson would score at 18:09 but the Grizzlies could not tie it, as Colin Reay made 28 saves to win his third straight game.
The two teams are back in action Saturday night for Drop the Gloves and Sock it to Em in support of St. Vincent de Paul. Tickets available at www.showpass.com/pgskdropthegloves or in the Spruce Kings office Saturday between 12:00 and 4:00 pm. The box office will open when the doors do at 5:00 pm. Puck Drops at 6:00.
