Jake LeBrun had his first multi-goal junior A game for the Prince George Spruce Kings in a losing cause Sunday as the Coquitlam Express earned a 4-3 double overtime win.
The Spruce Kings dominated the third period but couldn't beat Express goalie Cole Huggins with the go-ahead goal in the B.C. Hockey League game. Liam McLeod made 35 saves but took the loss in the Prince George net in front of 938 fans at the Coliseum.
Former Kings defenceman Bradley Ryan was the overtime hero as he took a pass from Adam Rossignoi and beat McLeod with less than two minutes to play in the three-on-three overtime period. Ryan was chipper during the game, chatting up the referees and some of his former teammates before leaving the ice after the second period.
The loss leaves the Spruce Kings (20-15-1-7) eight points behind the second-place Chilliwack Chiefs (27-14-1-1) in the Mainland division while the Express (18-25-1) are three points out of a playoff spot and trail the third-place Kings by 11 points.
LeBrun had a pair of goals and Jace Hennig had the other as the Spruce Kings led 3-2 after the first period. Rossignoi and Justin Georgeson, on a penalty shot, replied for the Express.
After the busy first period the Spruce Kings and Express settled down in the second frame as a power-play goal by Ben Israel was the only offence, tying the game at 3-3 for the Express.
Cole Huggins was solid in the Express net but McLeod was the busier of the two goalies as the visitors peppered him with 19 shots in the second period. Prince George did a better job blocking shots in the final 20-minutes to help out the 16-year-old rookie, limiting the Express to just four shots.
Prince George out shot Coquitlam 6-4 in the overtime periods.
Saturday night Coltyn Hansen had the hat trick as the Spruce Kings skated to a 5-3 win over the Express. Kirk Thompson made 38 saves to secure the win. The Kings led 4-1 late in the third period but Will Cook fired two goals late to pull the visitors with one at 4-3 until Hansen scored his third goals into the empty net to secure the victory.
The Spruce Kings were without defenceman Kevin Guiltnan for both weekend games as he was serving a two-game suspension for a hit to the head Wednesday in Chilliwack.
The Spruce Kings continue their home stand Thursday as the Surrey Eagles (26-11-2-3) drop in to the Coliseum at 7 p.m.
Manning takes a bow
Former Spruce Kings defenceman Brandon Manning will play for Team East in the American Hockey League all-star game tonight in Providence, Rhode Island. Manning, a Philadelphia Flyers prospect, is in his second season with the Adirondack Phantoms where he's scored five goals (12 points) in 39 games. Manning participated in his first skills competition Sunday. His Team East coach will be Prince George native Jon Cooper, head coach of the Syracuse Crunch.
