Photo Credit: Vicki Brown
PRINCE GEORGE- The Prince George Spruce Kings hosted the Penticton Vees for the first time this season Friday night.
The Spruce Kings and Vees had met three prior times, with those matches down at the South Okanagan Events Centre, where the Spruce Kings had struggled. However, with a different venue came a different result.
In one of the strangest games of the season, the Spruce Kings got the best of the Vees by a final score of 7-4.
It started with Alexis Cournoyer (’03). The 20-year-old forward jumped on a Vees turnover in their defensive end. A second later, Cournoyer turned and fired his first goal of the night right past the pad of Vees’ starting goalie, Will Ingemann (’05).
The Spruce King’s second goal of the period came on the power play. A clinical passing attack was finished by Skogen Schrott (’05). Scott Cousins (’04) would snap the first pass to Cournoyer. The Sorel-Tracy product quickly swept the puck over to Schrott, who buried the one-timer past Ingemann. 2-0, the score after the first period.
In the second period, the Spruce King’s offensive tirade continued. Kazumo Sasaki (’05) scored twice. Owen Goodbrand (’04), Linden Makow (’04), and Alexis Cournoyer found the back of the net in the second frame.
The second period was also riddled with penalties, six including one penalty shot. Callum Arnott (’04), who was hooked on a break-away, couldn’t solve Spruce Kings goalie Charlie Zolin (’04) on the penalty shot. 7-0, the Spruce Kings lead the Vees after 40 minutes.
The Vees would throw everything they had at the Spruce Kings in the third period. Making the score more respectable, Penticton beat Zolin four times in the final frame. 7-4, the final score from Kopar Memorial Arena.
While giving up four goals in the third period, Charlie Zolin was a star for the Spruce Kings Friday night. In a game where he faced 51 shots, the newest Spruce King made a timely save after a timely save. Zolin is the Fortis BC Energy Player of the Game on Friday night.
Game Summary
Scoring
Prince George: A. Cournoyer (8), S. Schrott (9), K. Sasaki (5), A. Cournoyer (9), K. Sasaki (6), O. Goodbrand (6), L. Makow (11)
Penticton: C. Arnott (17), F. Dell’Elce (8), C. Littler (4), R.MacPherson (12)
Goaltending
Charlie Zolin (W) 60:00 (4GA 47 Saves)
Will Ingemann 31:26 (4GA 8 Saves)
Andrew Ness (L) 28:34 (3GA 7 Saves)
Power play
Prince George: 3/5
Penticton: 2/6
Next Game: The Prince George Spruce Kings will get their chance to complete the weekend sweep on Saturday night. Puck drop from Kopar Memorial Arena is at 6:00 pm. You can watch live on FloHockey and listen on Mixlr.
