It has all the makings of a classic rivalry when the Prince George Spruce Kings and Chilliwack Chiefs get together for 60 minutes, or more, of hockey this season.
In fact the only thing that could make the British Columbia Hockey League match up even fiercer would be if the Chiefs were still the Millionaires of Quesnel, making it a battle for northern supremacy. In the sixth meeting between the Interior Conference teams, but only the second at the Prince George Coliseum, it was the Kings emerging victorious 5-2 in front of 769 fans with three goals in the final 20 minutes.
Paul De Jersey started the third-period barrage potting his league-leading 34th goal of the season to give the Kings their first lead of the night Thursday. The BCHL scoring leader added his second goal, and fourth point, of the night on a delayed penalty call late in the game. The four-points gives De Jersey 76 points this season. Jarryd Ten Vaanholt also a goal and two assists in his home debut with the Kings after being acquired at the trade deadline.
Michael Colantone added his 23rd goal, and 54th point, of the season to seal the win in the final minute.
The win gives the Kings (21-15-2-3) a three-point cushion over the Chiefs (21-16-0-2) in the battle for third place. The Merritt Centennials (25-10-2-5) hold down second place, while the Penticton Vees (35-3-0-2), with a 22-game win streak, are the class of the BCHL and the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
Prince George holds the edge in a tight series with the Chiefs at 3-2-1 with both teams earning an overtime win.
The rematch between the Kings and Chiefs goes tonight at the Prince George Coliseum with the puck drop at 7 p.m. Sunday the Kings travel to Penticton where they'll attempt to earn a second win over the Vees this season.
The Kings came out strong, buzzing around Chiefs' goaltender Mitch Gillam in the opening minutes, but were unable to convert as a wide-open Jujhar Khaira fired the puck right into Gillam's pads before Leo Fitzgerald missed the open side of the net after taking a pass from Sean Landry on a two-on-one.
With the Kings missing at one end of the ice the Chiefs' Jeremy Gossard gave the visitors a 1-0 advantage when his shot from the top of the circle beat Kings' goalie Kirk Thompson. But Prince George tied the game at 1-1 when Fitzergeld tipped in his seventh goal of the season on a power play. Ten Vaanholt and De Jersey picked up the assists.
Despite starting the second period with a two-man advantage for 76 seconds the Kings were unable to beat Gillam, generating just one shot during the power play. The Chiefs regained a 2-1 lead on Malcolm Gould's 17th goal of the season. The forward nearly had his 18th late in the period when he broke loose for a breakaway, but Prince George defenceman Ben Matthews was able to catch him and poke the puck away before the Chiefs' sniper could pot his second of the game.
The Kings tied the game at 2-2 when Ten Vaaholt tipped the puck past a startled Gillam after some fancy stick work by De Jersey to get the puck to the former Victoria Grizzlies' forward.
Thompson finished the game with 25 saves, while Gillam stopped 29.
ROYAL RUMBLINGS: Skylar Pacheco (lower body injury) missed his fourth consecutive game for the Kings, while Gerry and Myles Fitzgerald were also scratched Thursday. The only change to the Chiefs' lineup was Tyler Miller, a 20-year-old defenceman was a spectator.
Chilliwack Chiefs 2 Prince George Spruce Kings 5
1st period:
1. Chilliwack Jeremy Gossard 4 (Tibbet) 5:21
2. Prince George Leo Fitzgerald 7 (Ten Vaanholt, De Jersey) 8:52 pp
Penalties: Hills CHIL (interference) 7:06; De Jersey PG (slashing)16:53; Laurent CHIL (holding) 19:17; Perron-Fontaine CHIL (hooking) 19:59.
Shots: Chilliwack 8 Prince George 13
2nd period:
3. Chilliwack Malcolm Gould 17 (Huisman, Hills) 5:38
4. Prince George Jarryd Ten Vaaholt 18 (De Jersey, Woodley) 14:33
Penalties: Bondra CHIL (hooking) 6:13; Esau PG (check to the head, served by Zack Rassell, 10-minute misconduct) 9:06; Matthews PG (tripping) 18:51.
Shots: Chilliwack 17 (9) Prince George 21 (8)
3rd period:
5. Prince George Paul De Jersey 34 (Ten Vaaholt) 1:02
6. Prince George Paul De Jersey 35 16:37
7. Prince George Michael Colanton 23 (Khaira) 19:07
Penalties: Betz PG (interference) 6:28; Bardock PG (check to the head minor - served by Patrick Chore, 10-minute misconduct) 9:17; Laurent CHIL (high sticking) 13:00.
Shots:
Chilliwack 8 9 10 27
Prince George 13 8 13 34
Attendance: 769
