Seven is no lucky number as far as the Prince George Spruce Kings are concerned.
They’re mired in a seven-game losing streak that has caused them to lose ground in the B.C. Hockey League standings and would dearly like to end it, with playoffs just around the corner.
The Kings will be back on home ice Friday at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena to face the Vernon Vipers (7 p.m. start). Prince George has just four games left this in the season, all of them are at home, including a Saturday date at RMCA against the West Kelowna Warriors.
“It’s just nice to be away from the road, it was a tough schedule and we played so many games in so many nights and we need a break from the road schedule,” said Kings head coach Alex Evin, whose team has had to play the cream of the BCHL crop for much of the past month.
“I think it’s good to play the opponents we’re playing, there’s no easy nights and the games have all been close. We played well in a lot of them, we just haven’t got the result we wanted, and it’s good preparation for us.”
The Kings came into February in the midst of an 18-game point streak but have struggled since that ended Feb. 21 with a 2-1 regulation loss in Vernon.
“It was great to go on the streak we went on and it’s good to go through adversity at some point too,” said Even. “It’s not like we’re playing bad and it’s not like the kids aren’t working hard or trying every game. I think we’re in every game, but if you can go through adversity and get out on the other side, we believe we’ll be better for it.”
The Kings are coming off a 5-0 loss Saturday in West Kelowna which marked the end of a three-game roadtrip that also included a 3-2 defeat in Penticton and a 2-0 setback in Vernon. Prince George hasn’t won since Feb. 18, when they topped the Vees 3-2 in Penticton.
During their seven-game dry spell the Kings gained just two points, both a result of shootout losses at home to West Kelowna (Feb. 23) and Salmon Arm (Feb. 26). The Kings (25-14-3-8-0, .610 winning percentage) have dropped to fourth place in the Interior Conference standings, having lost their grip on third place to West Kelowna (30-16-1-0-0, .649).
“We probably should have won a few of those games, especially at home when we had leads and didn’t get it done, and we’ve scored five even-strength goals in seven games and you’re not going to win many, if any, games with numbers like that,” Even said.
The Vipers have won seven of eight games this season against Prince George, so there should be no shortage of inspiration on the home side.
“I feel like we’ve outplayed them every game,” said. Evin. “We’re not worried about our past record against them. We went in their last time and gave up 12 shots and lost 2-0. They have a solid team and they play really well inside the dots and it’s hard to generate offence so it’s a good challenge for us. It could be very likely a first-round matchup.”
The fifth-place Cranbrook Bucks (25-19-2-2-0, .563) still have six games left in their 54-game schedule and could catch the Spruce Kings for fourth place and the right to host the first two games of the opening-round playoff series.
Playoffs start Friday, April 1 and Kings fans can buy playoff packages for the entire BCHL playoffs for $150 (adult, seniors) or $75 (six-to-18-year-olds). Single-game tickets for the four remaining games are priced at $10 (adult, senior) or $5 (six-to-18).
Kings winger Austin Fraser won’t play Friday. He’s serving the third of a three-game suspension of a blow-to-the-head major penalty and game misconduct he was handed during the March 2nd game in Vernon.
