The numbers game is catching up with the Prince George Spruce Kings.
Missing six regulars due to injuries with an additional player out on loan, the Kings lost 3-1 on the road Friday to the Surrey Eagles.
Latrell Charleson scored two power-play goals for the Eagles and Ben Vikich also found the net behind Jesse Jenks. Christian Short made 23 saves in the Eagles nets as Surrey outshot the Kings 36-24
Daniel Nachbaur cut the Eagles' lead to 2-1 with his first goal since joining the Kings three weeks ago in a trade from Merritt. Nachbaur combined with Cole Todd and Alex Stoley to pick up his eighth goal of the season with 10:48 gone in the second period. But the Eagles responded with another goal from Charleson with 19.7 seconds left in the period.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Eagles, who improved their last-place BCHL Mainland Division record to 5-25-0-3. The Kings (18-14-0-3) remained third in the division.
Playing their second game in two nights, the Kings started their three-game tour with a 3-1 win Thursday over the second-place Langley Rivermen. Jake LeBrun had a three-point night with two goals and an assist. His linemate Jeremiah Luedtke also scored and that line, with Marco Ballarin, was the most productive Thursday for the short-staffed Kings.
Jenks, a 19-year-old from Crofton, stopped 36 shots as the game's first star.
The Spruce Kings will be in Coquitlam to face the Express tonight in their last game in 2014.
Injuries have dogged the Kings all month and on Friday they were were without forwards Justin Rai (concussion), Jarryd Leung (broken hand) and Riley Hawes (concussion) as well as defencemen Adam Clements (concussion) and Karan Toor (groin). Toor hasn't played since the playoffs last season.
The Kings were also without defenceman Viktor Dobrovskiy, who is playing at the World Junior A Hockey Challenge for Canada West in Kindersley, Sask. Canada West lost 3-2 to Switzerland Friday in the fifth-place game. Russia defeated Canada East 2-0 for bronze. The U.S. and Denmark will battle for gold today.
In other BCHL results Friday, Langley defeated Powell River 8-5, Coquitlam and Victoria tied 2-2 in Coquitlam, Penticton doubled West Kelowna 4-2, Salmon Arm edged Trail 4-3, Merritt topped Vernon 6-3 and Cowichan Valley beat Nanaimo 5-4.
