After a long stretch on the road that yielded very little in the way of points, the Prince George Spruce Kings are finally back on home ice.
Tonight at the Coliseum (7 p.m. start), the Spruce Kings host the West Kelowna Warriors. The Kings take a 6-16-0-2 record into the B.C. Hockey League game, while the Warriors stand at 12-8-0-2. Prince George is fifth in the six-team Mainland Division and West Kelowna is third of six Interior Division clubs.
The Kings are coming off six consecutive games on the road, spread out over the past two weekends. In those six contests - against Powell River, Alberni Valley, Victoria, Wenatchee, Chilliwack and Surrey - they posted a 1-4-0-1 record and garnered just three points out of a possible 12. The Kings got a moderate taste of success in a 4-3 overtime loss to Alberni Valley and beat Surrey 4-2 on Sunday.
The Spruce Kings and Warriors have met only once so far this season, on Oct. 17 in West Kelowna. That night, the Warriors skated to a 5-2 victory.
Offensively, the Kings are being led by defenceman Adam Brubacher and forward Corey Hoffman, both of whom have six goals and 17 points in 24 games. Generating offence has been a serious challenge for the Spruce Kings, whose 52 goals-for are fewest in the BCHL.
The Warriors, meanwhile, are being paced by P.G. product Liam Blackburn, who came up through the local minor hockey system and was a star for the Cariboo Cougars major midget team. The 19-year-old Blackburn has 10 goals and 27 points in 22 contests. Next season, he'll play NCAA Division 1 hockey for the University of New Hampshire.
Tonight's game is the first of a three-game homestand for the Kings. They'll take on the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on Saturday night and will welcome the Powell River Kings on Sunday afternoon.
