The Prince George Spruce Kings are finding life on the B.C. Hockey League road difficult.
The Coquitlam Express played inhospitable hosts Wednesday night in Coquitlam, scoring four consecutive second-period goals, three on the power play, to defeat the Spruce Kings 7-4.
Destry Straight led the way with two goals and an assist, countering a two-goal effort from Kings' scoring leader RJay Berra.
Jason Grecica, Massimo Lamacchia, Jacob Charles and Michael Krgovich also fired singles for the Express. Connor Tiechko and Lyndon Martell also found the net for Prince George.
The Express went 4-for-5 on the power play as they improved their seventh-place Coastal Conference record to 13-15-1-8.
The loss dropped the Spruce Kings (7-30-0-2) further into the BCHL basement. They've now lost 15 of their last 16 games. They're road record dropped to 2-18-0-1. Prince George is five points behind the Quesnel Millionaires for the last Interior Conference playoff spot.
Khaleed Devji made 36 saves as the Spruce Kings outshot the Express 40-36. Kirk Thompson took the loss in the Prince George nets.
The roadtrip continues tonight for the Spruce Kings, who are in Powell River to play the other Kings of the BCHL. Prince George will be in Surrey to face the Eagles Saturday night.
n Saturday's game in Surrey could be Martell's last as a Spruce King. On Tuesday, the Kamloops Blazers dealt the WHL rights of the 17-year-old native of Prince George to the Regina Pats in a trade that also included 20-year-old winger Shayne Neigum and a third-round bantam draft pick. In return, the Blazers picked up 20-year-old forward Thomas Frazee.
Martell started the season with the Blazers and has four goals and eight assists 12 points in 15 games since being sent back to the BCHL. He's not expected to join the Pats until after the Christmas break.
