Photo Credit:Chuck Chin
PRINCE GEORGE- It was the second game of a back-to-back between the Prince George Spruce Kings and the Penticton Vees Saturday night.
The Spruce Kings got the better of the Vees Friday night with a 7-4 victory. Penticton responded well on Saturday, beating the Spruce Kings 3-1.
All of the scoring on Saturday happened in the first 20 minutes of the game.
Penticton would strike first. Thomas Pichette (’03) would bury his ninth goal of the season after a wrap-around chance bounced off the pads of Spruce Kings goalie Charlie Zolin (’04) into the slot.
The only Spruce Kings goal of the night would come seven minutes after the Vees took the lead. Quickly after the puck was dropped on Penticton’s end of the ice, Brogan McNeil (’06) scooped up the face-off win and let a laser beam go, which sailed up and over the shoulder of Vees goalie Will Ingemann (’05). The goal is good for McNeil’s second of the season.
The Vees would score two more times in the final 8 minutes of the first period. First, Ryan MacPherson (’05) scored his 13th goal of the year, then Francesco Dell’Elce (’05) capitalized with the man advantage late in period number one.
That would be all the scoring Saturday’s game saw. Zolin was pulled after the first period in favour of Ryan Sanborn (’05)
Sanborn would be the best player on the ice for the Spruce Kings after taking over the net. The Brookfield, Connecticut, product turned away all 17 shots he saw the Vees throw his way.
Saturday was the first action that Sanborn had seen since December 15, 2023, when he again came in relief of Zolin and played five minutes and 56 seconds.
Sanborn would be named the second star of the night, the only Spruce King to receive a star Saturday.
Game Summary
Scoring
Prince George: B. McNeil (2)
Penticton: T. Pichette (9), R. MacPherson (13), F. Dell’Elce (9)
Goaltending
Charlie Zolin (L) 20:00 (3GA 7 Saves)
Ryan Sanborn 38:15 (0GA 17 Saves)
Will Ingemann (W) 60:00 (1GA 20 Saves)
Power play
Prince George: 0/4
Penticton: 1/5
Next Game: The Prince George Spruce Kings will hit the road for the first time in 2024. A two-game road trip is on the schedule, with the first stop being Chilliwack to take on the Chiefs. The puck drop from the Chilliwack Colluseum is 7:00 pm. You can watch live on FloHockey or tune in on 99.3 Rewind Radio.
