It was too little, too late for the Prince George Spruce Kings.
That four-goal lead they spotted the Merritt Centennials Friday night in Merritt proved insurmountable and they went down in defeat 4-2.
The Kings stormed back with a dominant third period and scored twice while outshooting the Cents 19-6 but the damage was done.
Payton Matsui got the Cents’ offence cooking with a shorthanded goal 7:14 in and Hunor Torzsok made it a 2-0 count before the first period ended. Josh Kagen and Matt Usudick put Merritt ahead 4-0 heading into the third period. The Kings countered with goals from Corey Cunningham and Mason Waite but were unable to stuff anything more behind goalie Tanner Marshall, who made 42 saves while his team was outshot 42-24.
Jett Alexander started in net for Prince George but was replaced at the 8:54 mark of the second period, shortly after Usudick scored, having allowed fur goals on 12 shots. Junior B Princeton Posse callup Carter Woodside came in to replace Alexander and stopped all 12 shots he faced.
The Spruce Kings started their nine-day, five-game roadtrip with 4-3 win Tuesday over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in Parksville, then lost 2-1 Wednesday to the Island Division-leading Nanaimo Clippers.
The Kings will head across the border to Wenatchee, Wash., where they play the Wild on Monday. On Wednesday they’ll be in Penticton to face the Vees.
The Spruce Kings (10-14-2-3, third place) remain one point ahead of the fourth-place Langley Rivermen in the B.C. Hockey League Mainland Division standings, while Merritt (7-15-1-1) is sixth in the Interior.
The Rivermen tied the Trail Smoke Eaters 4-4 Friday in Trail Friday. The game was called 8:28 into the third period when Smoke Eaters 20-year-old forward Corey Clifton suffered a serious injury.
