Michael Buonincontri and Brogan O'Brien scored late in the third period, but the Prince George Spruce Kings couldn't complete the comeback Friday night in Chilliwack.
Instead, the Kings had to settle for a 3-2 loss to the Chiefs in Game 1 of the best-of-seven B.C. Hockey League Mainland Division final series.
Eric Roberts and Tipper Higgins gave Chilliwack a 2-0 lead 90 seconds apart in the first period after being outshot 15-9 by the Spruce Kings.
Jake Hand scored a short-handed marker at the 16:14-minute mark of the second period for a Chilliwack three-goal cushion going into the third period.
Trailing 3-0 in the third period, Kings netminder Jesse Jenks made some huge saves to keep Prince George in the game until Buonincontri put the Kings on the board at the 12:03 mark.
O'Brien scored with 19 seconds left in the game, but the Kings couldn't score the equalizer in regulation to send the game into overtime.
The Chiefs outshot the Kings 36-32.
Game 2 is tonight in Chilliwack and the series returns to Prince George for Games 3 and 4 Monday and Tuesday at the Coliseum
(7 p.m.).
It's the first time in 10 seasons the Kings have advanced to the second round of the playoffs.
Loose pucks: Tickets are still available for the Spruce Kings lottery home prior to Thursday's grand prize draw date.
The custom-built home by Scheck Construction is a 2,986-square-foot five bedroom, three bath home located at 2693 Links Dr. in the Aberdeen Glen subdivision.
The show home is available to tour Monday to Friday from noon to 4 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tickets, which sold out last year, are also available at Canadian Tire, Pine Centre Mall, Central Builders, and Northern Hardware.
To purchase tickets, a 24-hour hotline is available, 250-962-4946 (IWIN).
In addition to show home lottery tickets, the Kings Period 3 Mega 50-50 lottery tickets are also on sale with the draw on Thursday. Someone could win $40,000.
