Luke German’s first goal as a Prince George Spruce King was a big one.
It happened with less than three minutes left in a tie game late in the third period Wednesday in Salmon Arm. Nick Rheaume drew three Silverbacks defenders in his immediate vicinity as he carried the puck over the blueline into the Salmon Arm Silverbacks’ end and spotted German all alone in the slot. German accepted the pass and beat goalie Owen Say for what stood up as the game-winner in what ended up a 4-2 decision.
Kings captain Kolton Cousins added an empty-netter and the Kings extended their undefeated-in-regulation-time streak to 16 games.
The win improved the Kings’ record to 22-9-3-5-0 (.667 winning percentage) and it knocked the Silverbacks out of first place in the B.C. Hockey League’s Interior Conference. Salmon Arm (28-6-2-1-0, .797) dropped to second place behind the league-leading Penticton Vees (29-6-0-2-0, .918). Two of the Silverbacks’ six regulation losses this season have been to the Spruce Kings.
Austin Fraser and Evan Fedele also scored for the Kings, both in the second period. Noah Sedachny and Simon Tassey scored for the Silverbacks.
Aaron Trotter made 26 saves in goal for the Kings, who outshot their opponents 32-28. Owen Say took the loss after making 28 stops.
Trotter is now the third-ranked goalie in the BCHL, with a .918 goals-against average. The Victoria native also sorts a .918 save percentage (sixth-best) with to shutouts. His Kings teammate from Fort St. John, Jordan Fairlie, leads the league with a 1.89 average and his .923 save percentage is third-highest in the BCHL. He also has two shutouts.
The Kings’ point streak started Dec. 30 in Wenatchee with an overtime loss in their first game back from the Christmas break and they will host the Wild this weekend in a two-game set Friday and Saturday at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
The Spruce Kings have 15 games left and five of them are against Salmon Arm. Prince George leads the season series 2-1. The Kings won 5-0 Dec. 1 and lost to the Silverbacks 4-3 on Dec. 17, both in Salmon Arm. They meet again next Feb. 18 in Salmon Arm, then play each other Feb-25-26 and March 18-19 at RMCA.
During Friday’s game, players who suited up for the Spruce Kings in the first decade of 2000 will be featured as special guests as part of the team’s 50th anniversary celebration.
LOOSE PUCKS: Former Kamloops Daily News sports editor Gregg Drinnan reports that the BCHL in investigating allegations of code of conduct breaches which involve Nanaimo Clippers president, general manager and head coach Darren Naylor and associate GM/associate coach Colin Birkas. A letter sent by the league’s executive committee to Clippers players said the BCHL has placed the coaches on temporary administrative leave and will appoint interim coaches for team activities and games while it conducts its investigation.
