After hosting a triple-header of their own at Kopar Memorial Arena against the Trail Smoke Eaters last weekend, the Spruce Kings now hit the road to put their endurance to the ultimate test – three games in three nights and over 2,000 kilometres worth of travel. The Spruce Kings will start the weekend with a Friday night game in Cranbrook against the Bucks, followed up by their final game against the Smoke Eaters in Trail, before wrapping up the trip with a Sunday game at the Shaw Centre against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
Friday, February 3rd @ Western Financial Place (6:00 PM)
Saturday, February 4th @ Cominco Arena (7:00 PM)
Sunday, February 5th @ Shaw Centre (5:00 PM)
REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE VS. CRANBROOK BUCKS (BUCKS LEAD SEASON SERIES 2-0)
Friday, December 2nd @ Kopar Memorial Arena (4-1 Spruce Kings) (BOXSCORE)
Saturday, December 3rd @ Kopar Memorial Arena (3-2 Bucks) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, February 3rd @ Western Financial Place (6:00 PM)
Friday, March 24th @ Western Financial Place (6:00 PM)
Saturday, March 25th @ Western Financial Place (6:00 PM)
REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE VS. TRAIL SMOKE EATERS (SPRUCE KINGS LEAD SEASON SERIES 3-1)
Friday, November 18th @ Cominco Arena (4-3 Spruce Kings) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, January 27th @ Kopar Memorial Arena (4-2 Smoke Eaters) (BOXSCORE)
Saturday, January 28th @ Kopar Memorial Arena (4-3 OT Spruce Kings) (BOXSCORE)
Sunday, January 29th @ Kopar Memorial Arena (4-2 Spruce Kings) (BOXSCORE)
Saturday, February 4th @ Cominco Arena (7:00 PM)
REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE VS. SALMON ARM SILVERBACKS (SILVERBACKS LEAD SEASON SERIES 2-0)
October 15th @ Shaw Centre (4-2 Silverbacks) (BOXSCORE)
November 5th @ Shaw Centre (2-1 Silverbacks) (BOXSCORE)
Sunday, February 5th @ Shaw Centre (5:00 PM)
Saturday, February 18th @ Tom Forsyth Memorial Arena (7:00 PM)*
Sunday, February 19th @ Tom Forsyth Memorial Arena (7:00 PM)*
Friday, March 17th @ Kopar Memorial Arena (7:00 PM)
Saturday, March 18th @ Kopar Memorial Arena (7:00 PM)
* indicates BCHL Road Show in Burns Lake
The Prince George Spruce Kings will find themselves looking for their first win of the season against two separate opponents this weekend. The Cranbrook Bucks swept the weekend series in early December at Kopar Memorial Arena, so the Spruce Kings will look play spoiler at Western Financial Place on Friday night.
The Bucks are coming off of a shootout loss to the Penticton Vees from last weekend while the Spruce Kings pieced together a pair of wins to conclude the triple-header against Trail.
Cranbrook sits second in the Interior Division, posting a record of 25-10-1-1. The Bucks defeated Prince George by scores of 4-1 and 3-2 during their meetings on December 2nd and 3rd. In the first meeting, a pair of back-to-back powerplay goals ahead of the midway mark of the second period is what put the Spruce Kings away. Nathan Airey stopped 31 shots to earn the victory. The following night, a goal with 3:41 remaining in the game clinched the victory for the Bucks. Once again, Airey put forth a strong performance as he stopped 33 shots.
The last time the Spruce Kings played at Western Financial Place was for Game 6 of their Interior Division Quarter-Final meeting during last year’s playoffs. The Spruce Kings won 3-2 in overtime to win the series 4-2.
On Saturday, the Spruce Kings will then head to Cominco Arena to play their fifth and final game against the Smoke Eaters during the regular season. The Spruce Kings hold a 3-1 series lead after winning in Trail earlier in the season, as well as a pair of games this past weekend during the triple-header in Prince George.
Trail currently sits in the eighth spot of the Interior Division standing switch a record of 15-17-2-3.
In each of the four meetings so far this season, the winning team has put up four goals. Prince George holds a narrow lead in the goal differential at 14 goals for and 12 goals against when facing the Smokies.
The weekend road trip will conclude Sunday in Salmon Arm at the Shaw Centre when the Spruce Kings meet with the Silverbacks.
This will be the third meeting between PG and Salmon Arm, with four more games to be played before the regular season concludes.
So far, the Silverbacks lead the series 2-0 after a pair of wins at home over the Spruce Kings.
One point will separate the two teams in the standings heading into the weekend with the Silverbacks sitting in the fifth spot, posting a record of 19-14-2-1. Both teams currently have a goal differential of +6.
In the first meeting, the ‘Backs doubled up on the Spruce Kings 4-2. Salmon Arm was able to score twice on the powerplay. In the second game, Aidan Feddema put forth a stellar performance in net, stopping 35 of 37 shots. Despite the strong performance from their goalie, a costly turnover in the offensive zone sprung Ethan Ullrick onto a breakaway in overtime, leading to the game-winning goal.
Spruce Kings Leading Scorers:
John Herrington (17-19-36)
Jake Schneider (16-13-29)
Austin Fraser (10-17-27)
Kilian McGregor-Bennett (8-17-25)
Luca Primerano (6-18-24)
Bucks Leading Scorers:
Jack Silich (18-13-31)
Rhys Bentham (10-21-31)
Donovan Frias (17-12-29)
Nick Peluso (12-15-27)
Noah Quinn (14-12-26)
Smoke Eaters Leading Scorers:
Brady Hunter (10-23-33)
Mathieu Cobetto-Roy (10-20-30)
Nicholas Remissong (14-12-26)
Evan Bushy (4-22-26)
Adam Parsons (11-12-23)
Silverbacks Leading Scorers:
Owen Beckner (12-21-33)
Ethan Ullrick (16-16-32)
Nathan Mackie (18-13-31)
Brandon Santa Juana (10-19-29)
Tristan Allen (4-24-28)
Friday’s game will be available on 99.3 REWIND Radio, while Saturday and Sunday’s games will be available on Mixlr for an audio-only broadcast. All games will be available on BCHLTV.ca.
