Lightning struck twice Sunday evening for the Prince George Spruce Kings.
A pair of bolts flashed off the sticks of Justin Rai and Brent Lashuk, who each scored by the time the game was 26 seconds old. That was all the offence needed to defeat the Chilliwack Chiefs and salvage a 3-0 BCHL road victory after coming up empty the previous two nights.
Bryant Christian completed the scoring with a tip-in in the third period and rookie goalie Jesse Jenks stopped all 22 shots to earn his first BCHL shutout. The two quick goals chased Chiefs' starting goalie Spencer Tremblay to the bench, replaced by backup Josh Halpenny, who went on to make 41 saves as the game's second star.
The Spruce Kings were guilty of letting their feet off the accelerator and Jenks had to be sharp, especially in the second period when the Chiefs outshot the Kings 11-10.
"After those two goals they felt it was toe-drag night and do-it-by-yourself night and they started taking it to us a bit," said Spruce Kings assistant coach Colton Buffie. "We gave up too many opportunities we didn't need to give up. Luckily Jesse was playing well."
The Kings started the game with a new 20-year-old defenceman -- six-foot-seven, 226-pound Cooper Rush -- picked up in a trade with Chilliwack that sent 19-year-old blueliner Caleb Thompson and future considerations to the Chiefs.
"Our D has been our strength all year and a guy like Cooper just makes us better back there," said Buffie. "He's a big body who doesn't mind getting involved and he's got a great reach and a great shot from the point and he's going to help our power play. He doesn't lose too many battles down low."
Rush left the ice with a lower-body injury in the second period and did not return to the game.
Saturday in Port Alberni, Craig Martin and Justin Georgeson scored first-period power play goals to break open a 1-1 deadlock and the Alberni Valley Bulldogs went on to defeat Prince George 5-2. Rai and Jeremiah Luedtke scored for the Spruce Kings. Mitch Makin and Jakson Elniuk also found the net behind Jenks, whose team was outshot 30-26.
The Spruce Kings (23-13-2-2) started their trip with a 2-1 loss to the Powell River Kings. Sunday's win left Prince George five points behind the first-place Langley Riverman (25-12-1-4). The Spruce Kings have three games in hand over Langley.
