Nick Poisson was due for a net-filling celebration.
Held without a point since Nov. 19, the leading scorer of the Prince George Spruce Kings ended his slump in dramatic style Sunday in Langley, scoring two goals, including the winner 20 seconds into overtime, for a 5-4 victory over the Langley Rivermen.
Poisson returned to the Kings’ lineup last week after nearly two weeks with Canada West at the World Junior A Hockey Challenge and he missed five BCHL games, all of which the Kings lost. He rejoined the team for the start of their three-game tour of the Mainland Division which started Wednesday afternoon with a 4-1 loss in Coquitlam.
His two goals, his 12th and 13th of the season, left the 18-year-old Providence College recruit from Vancouver with 32 points in 34 games.
Wil Kushniryk, Corey Cunningham and Preston Brodziak also scored for the Kings, who outshot their opponents 32-26. Devin Leduc, Brendan Budy, Tanner Versluis and Kalen Szeto were the Rivermen marksmen.
Carter Woodside earned his first BCHL victory in six games this season. He stopped 13 of 14 shots coming in to replace Kings’ starter Jett Alexander. Woodside entered the game 10:02 into the second period, right after Versluis connected on a Langley power play to put the Rivermen ahead 3-2.
Cunningham tied the game a few minutes later on a Prince George power play, the second point of the game for the Kings’ winger, selected the game’s first star. Szeto gave the hosts a 4-3 lead on a penalty shot, 3:53 into the third period, but Brodziak responded with his fifth goal in four games with six minutes left in regulation time. He and Cunningham now lead the team with 14 goals each.
Kushniryk opened the scoring just 43 seconds into the game but the lead was wiped out when Leduc tied it 65 seconds later.
Kristian Lyon took the loss in net for the Rivermen, who played shorthanded 10 times. The Kings went 2-for-10 on the power play, while Langley scored on one of their five advantages.
Heading into the Christmas break, the Spruce Kings (13-21-2-3-0) remained fifth in the division, three points behind the fourth-place Surrey Eagles and six back of the Rivermen (17-17-1-1-1).
Prince George snapped a six-game losing streak Friday in Surrey with a 3-2 win over the Eagles. The Kings will gather in Langley for their first game of the new decade on Friday, Jan. 3. They’re back on home ice Jan. 10-11 when they host the Eagles in a two-game set at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
