It wasn’t a road trip the reigning B.C. Hockey League (BCHL) champions were hoping to see against fellow Mainland Division teams.
The Prince George Spruce Kings’ season record has dropped to 2-3-2 on the new season after going 1-2 this past weekend, losing to the Chilliwack Chiefs and Coquitlam Express, and mustering a one-goal victory over the Langley Rivermen.
The Fred Page Cup defenders only got five pucks past their opponents and allowed 12 goals in the three-game, three-day venture.
On Friday (Sept. 20) at the Prospera Centre, the Spruce Kings kept a tight game going with the 2018 national-champion Chiefs as both teams retaliating on each other’s first two goals for a 2-2 contest until the halfway mark of the middle frame.
Chilliwack rolled away with four unanswered goals, including two on power-plays, in handing Prince George a 6-2 loss.
The next night at ‘The Lodge’ (Sept. 21), Jett Alexander had to stand on his head for the ‘Kings in the second and third periods as the Rivermen got 27 shots to the veteran goaltender altogether, only managing to get one puck by him.
Fin Williams potted a short-handed goal with six-and-a-half minutes left in the final frame to tie the contest at 1-1 and with a mere 29 seconds to go, Chong Min Lee scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season to seal a 2-1 win in Langley.
Finally, yesterday’s match (Sept. 22) in Coquitlam saw Prince George take a 5-1 beating from the Express, who currently lead the Mainland Division with a 4-1 record.
Preston Brodziak was the lone gunslinger Sunday afternoon for the Spruce Kings, nabbing his third goal of the year halfway through the third period to make it a 4-1 game and preventing a Coquitlam shutout.
Tom Richter was awarded a penalty shot in the first period, but couldn’t find an opening past Clay Stevenson.
Rookie Jack McGovern manned the net for a second time since the start of 2019-20, stopping 30 of 35 shots.
Brodziak led the Spruce Kings with three points this weekend with two goals and one assist.
Prince George returns home to the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena for a weekend doubleheader against two different hockey clubs.
Friday (Sept. 27) features a visit from the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, while Saturday (Sept. 28) will see the Trail Smoke Eaters; both games start at 7 p.m.
