The Prince George Spruce Kings and Chilliwack Chefs are taking their playoff battle to the limit.
The Chiefs made sure of that Saturday night in Chilliwack. Facing elimination, they spanked the Spruce Kings 6-1 to force a seventh and deciding game in the B.C. Hockey League Mainland Division semifinal series.
Game 7 will be played in Prince George Sunday at 7 p.m. at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
Ryan Miotto scored two goals for the Chiefs. PJ Marrocco, Kaden Pickering, Ryan Bowen and Bryan Allbee also scored to set the stage for Sunday’s deciding game. Dustin Manz had the lone goal for Prince George.
The winner will advance to the Mainland final against the Surrey Eagles (coached by Prince George native Brandon West) who eliminated the Langley Riverman with a 4-2 series win.
The Kings looked lethargic to start the game and it didn’t help that Prince George winger Nolan Welsh was given a double-minor for high-sticking just 1:39 in. The Kings’ penalty-killers, to their credit, did not allow a shot in the four-minute penalty but it tired out some of their better players and the Chiefs took advantage a few minutes later with two goals 41 seconds apart.
The Chiefs won an offensive-zone face-off and Miotto was right in front of goalie Evan DeBrouwer to take the rebound of a Tommy Lee shot, and Miotto went wide through the crease to tuck the puck into the open net at 5:56.
Then at 6:37 of the first, Marrocco fired off a low wrist shot from the face-off circle which hit the skate of Kings defenceman Layton Ahac and deflected in though DeBrouwer’s legs.
After being outshot 14-1, the Kings’ offence came to life late in the first period and they had two or three good chances before they got themselves on the scoreboard with 45 seconds left in the period. The Chiefs were caught pinching in the Prince George end and that set up a 2-on-1 break for Patrick Cozzi, who made the pass to Ethan de Jong. His backhander was stopped by Daniel Chenard but de Jong followed the puck into the corner and scooped it out for Manz in the slot and he fired in a low shot for his first of the series.
In the second period, the Chiefs restored their two-goal lead when Pickering got behind the Kings defence and went to his backhand side to score his first of the playoffs. Each team hit goalposts in what was an evenly-played second period. Chiefs captain Will Calverley clanged the iron about six minutes in and Kings’ Game 6 overtime hero Ben Brar did the same 17 minutes into the period.
Leading by two goals to start the third period, the Chiefs went into a tight defensive shell and held the Kings without a quality chance and limited them to just five shots. DeBrouwer kept his team in it, making a diving blocker save midway though the third to rob Harrison Blaisdell.
The Kings coaches waived DeBrouwer to the bench with more than four minutes remaining but that plan backfired. As DeBrouwer left the ice the Chiefs gained possession at the goal line and Allbee, a Prince George native, fired it the length of the ice into the empty net, the team-leading third goal of the series for the 20-year-old Chiefs defenceman.
The Kings pulled DeBrouwer again and Bowen worked the puck up the left wing and dumped a shot into the empty cage to make it 5-1. The Kings lost their tempers a bit at the end, setting up a 5-on-3 power play for the Chiefs, and Miotto made it count, scoring his second of the game.
The teams hit the highway right after the game for the nine-hour trip to Prince George, knowing they have one fewer hour to sleep before game time, with daylight savings time kicking in overnight.
Saturday’s BCHL playoff summary
Spruce Kings 1 at Chiefs 6
(Best-of-seven Mainland Division series tied 3-3)
First Period
1. Chilliwack, Miotto 1 (Lee Yewchuk) 6:56
2. Chilliwack, Marrocco 1, 6:37
3. Prince George, Manz 1 (de Jong, Cozzi) 19:15
Penalty – Welsh (double high-sticking) 1:39.
Second Period
4. Chilliwack, Pickering 1 (Berg, Yewchuk) 6:59
Penalties – Ruddy PG (roughing), Turcotte Cwk (roughing) 15:51.
Third Period
5. Chilliwack, Allbee 3, 15:46 (en)
6. Chilliwack, Bowen 2 (Vincent) 17:13
7. Chilliwack, Miotto 2 (Brind’Amour, Allbee) 18:24 (pp)
Penalties – Andonovski Cwk (tripping) 1:43, Brar PG (roughing, misconduct), Lee Cwk (roughing, misconduct) 16:22, Lee PG (double butt-ending) 17:34, Ruddy PG (roughing) 18:09, Turcotte Cwk (slashing) 19:38.
Shots on goal by
Prince George 6 5 5 -16
Prince George15 8 9 -32
Goal – Prince George, DeBrouwer (L,3-3, 26-23); Chilliwack, Chenard (W,3-3, 17-16).
Power plays – PG: 0-1; Cwk: 1-5.
Referees – Steve Brown, Zach Sletto; Linesmen – Spencer Lockert, B Brad Parker.
Attendance – 1,866.
