PRINCE GEORGE, BC – Mason Waite tied the game in the final minutes, and Jett Alexander made 23 saves, but the Spruce Kings were outlasted 4-3 against the Coquitlam Express in a shootout in the final game of the regular season in front of a near sellout at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
1st Period:
NO SCORING
SHOTS: 7-5 Coquitlam
2nd Period:
COQ: 1:42 into the period, Greg Lapointe got a breakaway feed from Joey Berkopec and went five hole on Jett Alexander to start the scoring for the Express. Berkopec had the lone helper on Lapointe’s team leading 29th of the season.
COQ: After a mad scramble in front of the Spruce King goal, the puck came to defenceman Noah De La Durantaye and he wired the puck from the blueline past Alexander to make it 2-0 Express. Massimo Rizzo and Ethan O’Rourke had the assists on De La Durantaye’s 7th of the season at 9:03.
PG: The Spruce Kings were able to get one back late in the period as Haydn Delorme tipped a Colton Cameron shot to get PG on the board. Delorme’s 4th goal of the year came from Cameron and Jackson Zloty. The tally came at 16:41
SHOTS: 11-10 Prince George
3rd Period:
COQ: 3:39 into the period, Danny Pearson got the puck in the circle and ripped off the post and in past Alexander to make it 3-1. Adam Trotman and Tyler Schleppe had the assists on Pearson’s 10th of the season.
PG: Corey Cunningham got a breakaway feed from Brendan Hill and Cunningham out waited Joe Howe and shovelled it blocker side to make the score 3-2. Hill and Wil Kushniryk had the two assists on Cunningham’s team leading 26th of the year.
PG: With the extra attacker on the ice, the Spruce Kings found a way to tie the game. A point shot from Mason Waite found its way through traffic and beat Joe Howe to knot the game at three. Nick Bochen and Fin Williams had the two assists on Waite’s 7th goal of the season.
SHOTS: 7-6 Prince George
Overtime:
NO SCORING
Shots: 5-3 Prince George
Shootout:
PG: Preston Brodziak (No Goal)
COQ: Tyler Schleppe (No Goal)
PG: Corey Cunningham (No Goal)
COQ: Wil Margel (Goal)
PG: Haydn Delorme (Goal)
COQ: Ethan O’Rourke (Goal)
—
Final Score: Coquitlam 4 Prince George 3 (Shootout)
Final Shots: Coquitlam 26 Prince George 26
Jett Alexander: 23/26 Saves for Prince George (13-19-5)
Joe Howe: 23/26 Saves (10-14)
Prince George Power-Play: 0/5
Coquitlam Power-Play: 0/2
3 Stars:
- Mason Waite (PG 1 G)
- Joey Berkopec (COQ 1 A)
- Jett Alexander (PG 23 Saves)
Fortis BC Energy Player of The Game:
Colton Cameron (PG)
Next Spruce Kings Game: Next Friday night at Cominco Arena against the Trail Smoke Eaters in Game 1 of the Shaw BCHL Playoffs
NOTES:
- Corey Cunningham finishes the regular season with the team lead in goals
- Jett Alexander gets stars in back to back starts
- The Express win their second shootout of the season against the Spruce Kings
