Michael Buonincontri made quite the return to the Prince George Spruce Kings Saturday night.
In the starting lineup alongside Jarryd Leung and Chad Staley, he picked up an assist on Leung's opening goal 35 seconds into the game against the Nanaimo Clippers for an early 1-0 lead at the Coliseum.
Welcome back to Prince George, Buonincontri.
The big six-foot-two, 205-pound 21-year-old forward was back in the Kings lineup after he was reacquired on New Year's Day from the West Kelowna Warriors along with defenceman Greydon Robinson in exchange for defenceman Tyler Kunz.
Buonincontri, Robinson and defenceman Cole McCaskill (acquired in a separate deal on New Year's Day from the Salmon Arm Silverbacks) were all on the ice for Prince George against the Clippers in their first B.C. Hockey League game back of the 2014-15 season after a two-week Christmas break. They were so new, their names on the back of their Kings sweaters hadn't been stiched on yet.
The Clippers handed the Kings a 6-3 loss in front of 1,082 fans at the Coliseum.
"I was very excited to come back to Prince George," said Buonincontri. "This is definitely where my heart wants to play. I really like the guys and I think we can do something special.
"I've just got to go to the net hard and keep things simple. I have to bear down and play strong in front of the net."
Buonincontri was first acquired by Prince George from the Smiths Falls Bears in the off-season. He appeared in only two regular season games with the Kings and picked up a goal and three assists before he was dealt to the Whitby Fury of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. He said he chose not report to the Fury and was traded to the Warriors where he notched 12 goals and picked up 16 assists in 30 games.
Saturday against Nanaimo, Staley gave the Kings a 2-0 lead with a shot from the point during a power play in the middle of the first period.
But the Clippers, coming off a 2-1 win Friday night in Chilliwack, replied with goals from Sheldon Rempal, Brendan Taylor and Jacob Jackson. The goals by Taylor and Jackson were scored 1:15 apart during a five-on-three man advantage with Jake LeBrun and Daniel Nachbaur serving minor penalties.
After Nanaimo's Spencer Hewson scored a short-handed marker in the second period, Braiden Epp notched his 14th of the season when he slid the puck underneath Clippers netminder Guillaume Decelles on the power play.
In the third, Anthony Rinaldi widened Nanaimo's lead to two goals and Taylor put the game away with an empty-netter after Kings netminder Alex Brooks-Potts was pulled for the extra attacker.
The Kings remain in third place in the Mainland Division at 18-15-0-4, five points behind second-place Langley (20-14-1-4) and six points behind division-leading Chilliwack (22-12-1-1).
Nanaimo leads the Island Division at 26-11-0-1 with 53 points.
The Kings hit the road later this week for the Okanagan with stops in Vernon on Friday, Salmon Arm on Saturday and Penticton on Sunday.
They begin a five-game homestand on Jan. 15 against Salmon Arm.
Loose pucks: The Mac's Tournament champion triple-A midget Cariboo Cougars were introduced on the ice in front of the players' benches prior to Saturday's opening face-off. Both the Spruce Kings and Clippers feature Cariboo Cougars alumni including Jake LeBrun, Braiden Epp and Brogan O'Brien from Prince George and Jordan Low and Brett Roulston from Nanaimo....Kings goaltender Jesse Jenks was out of the lineup with a tweaked knee. Backstopping Brooks-Potts on the bench was Cariboo Cougars netminder Griffen Outhouse was named top goaltender at the Mac's tournament...Justin Rai (concussion), Riley Hawes (concussion) and Ryan Fritz also remained out of Prince George's lineup Saturday.
