Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Kings host Merritt in pre-season finale Sunday

PG product Cunningham traded to Trail Smoke Eaters
Spruce Kings-Centennials-Cunningham 2020-21 exhibition
Prince George Spruce Kings'winger Corey Cunningham gets a scoring chance in a 2020-21 exhibition game against the Merritt Centennials at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena. The Kings announced Friday afternoon the Prince George-born Cunningham has been traded to the Trail Smoke Eaters. (via Vicki Brown Photography)

The Prince George Spruce Kings are in for one final BCHL preseason test this Sunday afternoon at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena when they host the Merritt Centennials.

The afternoon matinee (3 p.m. start) will mark the first time a Prince George audience has seen the Kings play live since March 3rd, 2020, when they were eliminated from the first round of playoffs by the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters.

“It’s nice we actually get to play a home game for the first time in a long time and it will be good for our fans to come out and see the new group and for most of our players to experience playing in the RMCA for the first time, prior to firing real bullets in the next couple weeks,” said Spruce Kings general manager Mike Hawes.

The Spruce Kings started the preseason in Merritt Sept 24 with a 6-2 win over the Cents. Last week they visited West Kelowna and Penticton and lost each of those games 4-3.

The Kings have 24 players on the roster, including 17 returning players from the team that won the Chilliwack pod title in May, and all are healthy going into the weekend.

“It’s good because we can get some guys in the lineup in preseason and rest some of the veterans, which is always nice,” said Hawes. “This will get some of the new guys to the league and some of the rookies some much-needed experience prior to the regular season as well.”

On Tuesday the Kings named 20-year-old forward Kolton Cousins as the team captain. The native of Sechelt joined the Kings in September 2019 in a trade from the Cowichan Valley Capitals in September of 2019.

This will be the third season for Spruce Kings head coach Alex Evin, first hired as an associate coach in 2017. Lukáš Lomicky returns for his second season as the Kings’ associate coach.

The Kings have moved back into the Interior Conference after six seasons in the Greater Vancouver-based Mainland Division. That means more intra-divisional games for Prince George against Merritt, Trail, the Penticton Vees, West Kelowna Warriors, Salmon Arm Silverbacks, Vernon Vipers, Cranbrook Bucks and Wenatchee Wild.

The league announced Friday that due to the ongoing pandemic, which has kept the U.S.-Canada border closed, teams will fly to Wenatchee and will then travel by bus back to Canada. The Spruce Kings are scheduled to visit the Wild, Dec. 30 and 31, and will fly from Prince George to Seattle, via Vancouver, then board the Wild team bus to take them to Wenatchee.

The Kings open their 50th junior season on the road in Merritt, Oct. 8 and West Kelowna, Oct. 9. The Cents are booked for the Kings’ home opening doubleheader, Oct. 15-16.

Late Friday afternoon the Kings announced they have traded 20-year-old forward Corey Cunningham to Trail for future considerations. Cunningham, a Prince George minor hockey product, was the only Kings player remaining from the team that won the BCHL’s Fred Page Cup and Doyle Cup regional championship in 2019. In 191 games over four seasons with the Kings, the left winger collected 45 goals and 40 assists.

“Corey and his family have been with us for four seasons and have all been tremendous in their time with us,” said Hawes. “After some discussions between myself and Corey it was mutually decided that it would be best for Corey to play this season away from Prince George to help him prepare for life in NCAA hockey at Merrimack University the following season.

“Corey and I had some good discussions, and both agreed that Corey's idea to play away from Prince George in his final season of junior hockey made the most sense. Corey will always have a special place in the history of the Spruce Kings, and we were fortunate to have him with us for four seasons. We wish him nothing but success this season and with his hockey career and in life moving forward."