It’s official!
The Prince George Spruce Kings now know their opponent in the upcoming B.C. Hockey League (BCHL) Coastal Conference Championships as of Monday night (March 25), and it will pin B.C.’s northern capital against its provincial capital.
The Victoria Grizzlies defeated Powell River in the Island Division Finals 4-3, winning the seventh and deciding match by a convincing 6-1 score.
They're all smiles at The Q Centre in Victoria 😁
— BC Hockey League (@GoBCHL) March 26, 2019
Marty Westhaver with his second goal of the night and the @BCHLGrizzlies lead it 5-1 in the third period of game seven. #BCHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/gTYw0qdCly
The bears went back and forth in the series with the Kings as each team alternated wins since the beginning, which included two overtime bouts in Games Two and Four.
Prince George has already enjoyed nearly a week off since sweeping the Chilliwack Chiefs 4-0 in the Mainland Division Finals at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena (RMCA), and will get three more before the start of Round Three on Friday (March 29).
The Spruce Kings have home-ice advantage for finishing second in the league with 84 points (39-13-1-5); Victoria finished fifth in the league with 76 points (36-18-0-4).
.@SpruceKings better pack some bear-spray 🐻🚫 @BCHLGrizzlies win Island Division Final in 7 games over Powell River with a 6-1 victory Monday & will make the trip up #BCHwy97 for the Coastal Conference Championship, which starts Friday at RMCA | #CityOfPG @GoBCHL @PGMatters pic.twitter.com/aZrOvCTe13
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) March 26, 2019
Now, here’s the catch.
Victoria won the season series with Prince George, albeit just two meetings at three months apart.
On Oct. 5, 2018, the Grizzlies survived a Spruce King comeback at the RMCA after taking a 3-0 lead after the first period.
Prince George retaliated with three goals in the second before the visitors sealed the 4-3 win with eight minutes left in regulation time.
On Jan. 6 of this year, the Q-Centre crowd aided the Grizzlies when they gobbled up the ‘Kings in a 3-0 shutout despite getting 41 shots on goal.
So, what will a playoff match-up bring between these two teams for BCHL fans to witness, and how will the Prince George Spruce Kings respond in their quest for Fred Page Cup redemption?
The Coastal Conference Championship series begins Friday (March 29) and Saturday (March 30), 7 p.m. both nights from the RMCA.
The Spruce Kings will take on @BCHLGrizzlies in the Coastal Conference Final starting Friday and Saturday at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
— Spruce Kings (@SpruceKings) March 26, 2019
BUY ONLINE: https://t.co/87vQAG46bO pic.twitter.com/3ftuzuJuZK
