Only one team in B.C. Hockey League history has come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
The Prince George Spruce Kings don’t want to have to be the second.
The last thing they want is to fall behind three games to none in their best-of-seven Interior Conference quarterfinal against the two-time defending champion Penticton Vees.
That makes tonight’s (7 p.m.) Game 3 a must-win of the Spruce Kings.
Anything less and their chances of pushing the Vees beyond Wednesday’s Game 4 become infinitesimal.
The Vees won the first two in Penticton over the weekend by identical 3-0 scores.
The Kings came out hitting everything that moved in Friday’s opener and it was much more evenly played than the score might indicate. The shot count reflected it – the Vees outshot the Kings 27-20 – but on that night the visitors could not beat goalie Will Ingemann.
The ice was tilted Penticton’s way in Game 2 Saturday and the Vees peppered goalie Charlie Zolin with 45 shots, while Andrew Ness had just 13 saves to make for his first BCHL playoff shutout. As one-sided as it was, the Spruce Kings were one crossbar and one goalpost away from tying it until the 7:28 mark of the third period, when the Vees clicked on the power play and ran away with it, scoring consecutive goals.
“We’ve been in both hockey games deep into the game and that was a real positive thing for us,” said Spruce Kings head coach Alex Evin. “There’s belief that we can still make it a good series - obviously you’ve got to get the next one, though.
“For us, we’ve got to relax a bit, I think we looked a little tense, when we get the puck. We don’t have anything to lose, we’re not supposed to win the series so guys just need to embrace being the underdog and just relax. If we can do that we’ll have a good chance (tonight).”
The Kings dressed just five defenceman for the first two games and likely won’t be getting any relief with veterans Ben LeFranc and Trent Ballentyne still on the injury shelf, both listed as day-to-day. Aidan Souligny, Kai Greaves and Amran Bhabra logged a ton of icetime, all three playing over 30 minutes in each game and that’s a lot to ask trying to hold off a Vees team that scored an average 3.74 goals per game during the season.
“We relied heavy on five defencemen and it’s tough,” said Evin. “The start we had on Saturday, we kind of botched some breakouts that made us play in the defensive zone a little longer than we wanted and that ultimately will hurt when you don’t have a lot of defencemen playing so hopefully we’ll be better on those breakouts and that will put less stress on those guys playing heavy minutes.
“We’re hoping to have a big Game 3 and get back into the series.”
If it does get extended, Game 5 will be played in Penticton, with Game 6 set for Prince George on Sunday and Game 7 scheduled for the Okanagan next Tuesday.
LOOSE PUCKS: The only other 3-0 BCHL comeback happened in 2018 when the Victoria Grizzlies did it to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the Island Division first round...The Spruce Kings Show Home Lottery is heading into the homestretch with the deadline for ticket purchases fast approaching next Wednesday at 10 p.m. As of Monday, 3,159 tickets had yet to be sold, from the original supply of 11,000. Tickets are $125 each. Valued at $890,000, the house is in the Aberdeen Glen subdivision at 2974 Links Dr. Proceeds from the Show Home Lottery pay for the majority of the team’s operating expenses. The draw date is Friday, April 19 at noon. The team's second Mega 50-50 draw is at $150,000 and the winner takes home half. ... The Spruce Kings Prospects Camp is happening next weekend, April 19-21, at Kopar Memorial Arena. The camp is open to players born between 2005 and 2000. Cost is $350 per player, which includes five ice sessions and a jersey.
