The Prince George Spruce Kings got off on the right foot at home, flying over the Surrey Eagles 7-2 on Friday at Kopar Memorial Arena.
Tai Ushio got the Spruce Kings on the board at 2:50 of the opening frame with a power-play goal, beating Maddox Osaka to send 1,052 into a frenzy early on.
The Spruce Kings widened the gap at 10:52 as Carter Hesselgrave scored shorthanded on a short side shot after blocking a shot in his own zone. His first of the season made it 2-0.
Lucas Busch cut the lead to one at 13:13 as he beat Colin Reay from the slot, but Ushio re-upped the two-goal edge just over three minutes later.
The Spruce Kings scored the only goals in the second period, as Matic Perčič and Kazumo Sasaki made it 5-1. Perčič protected the puck along the blueline and walked into the slot and beat Osaka, before Sasaki dangled in tight and tucked home his first of the year.
Mathis Laplante scored his first in the BCHL from Dominic Szczygiel to make it 6-1 early in the 3rd at 2:42.
A turnover at the blueline let Lucas DiGiantommaso walk in and beat Reay to make it 6-2.
Ryan Wachtel rounded out the scoring at 11:19 of the third on the power play, picking the corner off a pass from Trent LeDrew and Nick Metelkin.
Reay made 34 saves in the victory. The Spruce Kings take on the Okotoks Oilers Saturday night at 6:00. Tickets at https://www.showpass.com/pgsk0926vsokotoks/
3 Stars
1st Star – Tai Ushio (2 goals, 1 assist)
2nd Star – Colin Reay (34 saves)
3rd Star – Carter Hesselgrave (1 goal, 1 assist)
Fortis BC Energy Player of the Game – Ozbej Rep (2 assists)
