The Prince George Spruce Kings are set to face the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, who are making their only visit to the Prince George Coliseum tonight (7 p.m. start).
The Bulldogs (16-26-2-6) are fourth in the Mainland Division but Spruce Kings head coach Dave Dupas isn't fooled by the Bulldogs' mediocre record this season. He knows they're not the same team that won just one of their first 17 games in 2013-14.
"They're desperate and they're beating everybody, they've done a good job rebounding from the start they had to the season and they're very dangerous," said Dupas.
"They beat a very good Nanaimo team [5-2 on Wednesday] and outshot them, so we're going to have our hands full. We have to be prepared for these guys to be every bit as good as any of the teams we're playing down the stretch, because they've played real well lately and we found that out in Port Alberni [in a 5-2 Spruce Kings' loss Jan. 4]."
The Alberni Valley offence is led by 20-year-old forwards Justin Georgeson (16 goals-28 assists 44 points), Huntr Strand (10-33-43) and Tryg Strand (20-17-37), with help from NCAA recruits Jake Kauppila (Michigan Tech) and Craig Martin (Quinnipiac).
Nathan Warren of Prince George, 18, has been the Bulldogs' backup goalie since January. The former Cariboo Cougar midget, who started the season in the KIJHL with the 100 Mile House Wranglers, is 1-3-0 since joining the Bulldogs and sports a 3.36 goals-against average and .898 save percentage.
On Saturday the Kings host the West Kelowna Warriors (29-13-3-3). The Warriors are 10-2-1 since the Christmas break and are just two points behind Penticton in the battle for first in the Interior.
The Warriors will bring a few familiar faces, including two from Prince George - 19-year-old forward Seb Lloyd, a Harvard recruit (third in team scoring with 46 points in 46 games), and 17-year-old rookie forward Liam Blackburn (12 goals and 32 points in 37 games). Also playing for West Kelowna is Nathan Craft of Kitimat, 19, a former Cariboo Cougar acquired in January in a trade from Langley.
The Spruce Kings could be thin on the blueline this weekend with three regulars out with injuries, including Danny Kiraly (concussion), Cooper Rush (knee)and Mitch Eden (leg). Eden got hurt Wednesday in practice.
These are the sixth and seventh games of the Kings' nine-game homestand. Jesse Jenks will get the start in the Kings' nets tonight, while Alex Murray is expected to play against West Kelowna.
