If the hat fits, wear it.
Prince George Spruce Kings defenceman Kai Greaves was only too happy to try on the oversized baseball chapeau as the player of the game Saturday after he potted the overtime winner against the Merritt Centennials.
He took a pass in the slot from Kilian McGregor-Bennett to finish off a 2-on-1 rush that led to a 4-3 victory a Kopar Memorial Arena that ended a five-game losing streak.
Greaves’ fifth goal completed the comeback for the Spruce Kings, who were trailing by a goal with eight minutes left in the third period when Prince George native Scott Cousins found a way to tie it up with his ninth goal of the season.
The Cents scored three times in the second period to erase a 2-0 Prince George lead.
Charles-Thomas Larochelle, Zack Ziliotto and Luke Phoh all put pucks behind Kings goalie Charlie Zolin after Owen Goodbrand and JR Perdion got the Kings’ offence on track to start the period.
Cousins assisted on the first two Spruce Kings goals.
Zolin made 26 saves in what was the fifth win of the season for the Connecticut native.
The Kings fired 31 shots at Andrew Ballantyne and outshot the Cents 5-0 in overtime.
LOOSE PUCKS: The Kings Alumni Game preceded the BCHL game Saturday afternoon… Diana Berry, the widow of longtime Kings’ trainer Stu Berry, made the trip back to Prince George from Victoria for the team’s tribute to Stu, who died last year on Oct. 18 at age 80… Next up for the Kings is a two-game set at home against the Vernon Vipers this Friday and Saturday at Kopar.
