Justin Rai isn't afraid to go into the corners.
In fact he thrives on it.
The 19-year-old skates on the left wing on a line centred by Chad Staley, who's flanked by Jeremiah Luedtke on the right, for the Prince George Spruce Kings.
Rai is coming off a 2013-14 B.C. Hockey League regular season (his second with the Kings) that saw him tally 22 goals, 25 assists for 46 points - fourth in team scoring behind Staley and Luedtke. Rai was the team's leading scorer in the Kings' first-round playoff series against Coquitlam with four goals and three assists in six games.
After two games of the current campaign, Rai, who's listed at five-foot-10 and 165 pounds, has notched three goals and an assist in Prince George's wins against Nanaimo and Alberni Valley on opening weekend.
The Kings travel to Coquitlam and Surrey this weekend.
"In the off-season I put on between five to 10 pounds since I knew I was smaller," said Rai, who grew up in Surrey but played minor hockey for North Vancouver's North Shore Winter Club. "I worked on my speed and size so I could be explosive in the corners."
Rai stands only an inch taller than his linemates but they form one of the most potent lines on the team, one that can both score and back-check.
Staley and Luedtke also factored in the team's victories against Nanaimo and Alberni Valley last weekend, each tallying two goals and an assist.
"We're all pretty similar players," said Rai. "Being a smaller line makes us shiftier in the corners and we can tire d-men out, especially in the second and third periods."
Rai said he just wanted to improve his overall game in the off-season and credits working with Kings head coach Dave Dupas for helping him offensively since he first arrived at the beginning of the 2012-13 season as a rookie.
Dupas said Rai has not only developed as an offensive force, but a reliable defensive forward as well.
He can tap Rai on the back to put him out on the ice killing penalties or during the last minute of play, either to protect the lead or score a goal.
"He's worked on his defence and is a very dangerous player and isn't a defensive liability," said Dupas. "He's a dynamic, offensive force. He's creating things out of nothing. He can change speeds and slow down, then quickly go down and score. He's scored some highlight-reel goals. He's smart enough to do those things.
"He moves the puck really well. That line as a whole is tough to contain and very consistent. When they have the puck, they are creative with their chances and use their skill. When they don't have the puck, they can battle hard and get it back."
During the off-season Spruce Kings general manager Mike Hawes added more size up front, as in forwards taller than six-feet and more than 200 pounds who can score.
Dupas said he never tells individual players they need to score more goals.
"For us, we play a certain way," said Dupas. "We expect goals out of the entire team, we haven't had that luxury before. All the forwards can score and are dangerous."
While scoring and helping his team win is Rai's main goal this season, it's not his only one. He'd love to earn a NCAA scholarship to a U.S.-based university or college.
"The NCAA is something I've had my eye on for a long time, it's been a dream of mine."
He credits his dad, a truck driver, and mom, a Canada Post worker, for his success, enduring the hour-long car rides to and from North Vancouver for practices and games.
"My parents gave me the opportunity to reach where I am today," he said. "They never, ever once complained. Now that I'm older, I realize the sacrifices they made. They don't miss a game when we play in the Lower Mainland, I have the biggest cheering section with friends and family."
But, looking ahead to this season, Rai loves this version of the Kings, one that has the potential to score a lot of goals and put up a lot of wins.
"We have a really good team this year and last year's loss to Coquitlam [in the first round of the playoffs] really stung," he said. "We're not too far away from reaching our potential."
ICE CHIPS: The Spruce Kings acquired 19-year-old defenceman Adam Clements from the Whitby Fury of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in exchange for Michael Buonincontri and future considerations on Tuesday.
Clements is a five-foot-10 193-poundER who tallied seven goals and 35 assists for 42 points last season.
"Adam is a tremendous young man and a tremendous hockey player," said Kings GM Hawes.
Buonincontri was acquired by the Kings in the off-season from the Smiths Falls Bears.
"It's always difficult to move a character person like Michael," said Hawes. "He had come in here and was a terrific player and teammate. We had one too many overage players and some injuries on defence [Karan Toor, Jake McCarthy, Valik Chichkin] that needed to be addressed. We needed to trade from our strengths, which is our forward group, to improve our defence."
