It was gritty, not pretty, but it got the job done for the Prince George Spruce Kings.
They opened the B.C. Hockey League playoffs Friday night by gutting out a 3-1 win over the visiting Coquitlam Express to take the early lead in the best-of-seven Mainland Division semifinal series Friday at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
Layton Ahac’s goal 5:42 into the second period gave the Spruce Kings their second lead of the night and they hung on to it the rest of the game, capping the victory with an empty-net goal from Dustin Manz in the final minute.
Much of the game was played in the neutral zone and chances at either end were tough to come by. Both teams expected a lot of physical contact and that’s what both teams delivered.
“Obviously that’s kind of what you get in a playoff game, you get a physical game, the refs let everything kind of go and let us just play hockey and we did a really good job today and everybody’s pretty happy with it,” said Kings captain Ben Poisson, who scored the series-opening goal on a Kings’ power play, 3:38 into the first period.
“It’s not like regular season, nothing compares to it. It’s a whole different season starting now and we just have to play our way and we should be fine here. Everything’s more intense, the crowd’s more into it, the players are more into it and guys are yelling at each other and giving extra shots and doing stuff you wouldn’t do in the regular season.”
Penalties were the story of the first period and the Spruce Kings took advantage of the first one, a boarding call handed out to Express defenceman Jack Cameron.
Poisson accepted a pass from Lucas Vanroboys in the face-off circle and quickly unleashed a wristshot that got through the wickets of goalie Clay Stevenson.
The Spruce Kings drew four of the six minor penalties and a misconduct and referees Nick Panter and Matt Hicketts heard the wrath of the partisan Kings’ crowd of 1,267 as they made their way to the dressing room for the first intermission.
That penalty carryover to start the second period worked to Coquitlam’s favour. Connor Gregga got to loose puck in the crease behind Kings goalie Logan Neaton after Regan Kimens applied the initial pressure with two dangerous-looking shots form close range. The goal came 45 seconds into the period.
Ahac restored the lead five minutes later. He took the puck from Poisson just inside the Express blueline and cruised down the left wing boards as he let go a high wrister that sailed in over the glove of Stevenson.
“He found me in the middle and I came into the middle and cut and got into a battle with the d-man and just kind of put it back and he drove wide and it was a really good shot n his part,” said Poisson. “They’re a really skilled team so we don’t want to give them a whole lot, so we’re going to try to keep the puck out of our end as much as we can.”
The Express had several great chances to try to it up but Neaton, the league’s stingiest goaltender with a 1.92 goals-against average, came up with the saves. Stevenson also looked sharp, robbing Nick Poisson with his glove late in the period.
Stevenson kicked out his leg to foil Manz, the Kings’ leading scorer with 70 regular-season points, on a breakaway chance four minutes into the third period. Manz got to the rebound but ran out of room and could only manage a weak shot the Express goalie easily turned aside.
Manz scored his empty-netter with a high backhander from just outside the blueline.
“We’re both strong teams but we have to play physical to compete with them,” said Express defenceman Troy Robillard.
“It was a tight game, a lot of back-and-forth and not much pinning in the zones. I thought both defences played well, got pucks out pretty quick so it was a big neutral-zone game. The refs can’t call everything, they’re going to let some things slide, so it’s going to be a tough game and hard both ways.
“We have to finish, we’ve got to get down on them hard and we’re just going to keep moving pucks forward.”
Kings winger Nolan Welsh played a strong game providing energy on an effective line with Vanroboys and Corey Cunningham. Welsh missed five weeks in January and February with a concussion and just returned to the lineup Feb. 22. He said the Kings appreciated the loud reception they got from the crowd when Poisson scored.
“The crowd was definitely into it and for sure that helped, so it was good to get the first (goal),” said Welsh.
Game 2 is set for tonight at 7 at RMCA. The series switches to Coquitlam for Game 3 and 4 Monday and Tuesday. If Game 5 is needed that would be played Thursday in Prince George, with Game 6 scheduled for Saturday in Coquitlam and Game 7, if needed, in Prince George on the following Monday.
LOOSE PUCKS: The Langley Rivermen came from behind and scored two unanswered goals in the third period to beat the Chilliwack Chiefs 5-4 Friday in the opener of the other Mainland Division series in Chilliwack. On Thursday, the Cowichan Valley Capitals upset the Penticton Vees 4-1 in that Interior Division series opener in Penticton.
BCHL playoffs
Mainland Division semifinal
Prince George Spruce Kings vs. Coquitlam Express
(Spruce Kings lead best–of-seven series 1-0)
Friday’s BCHL playoff summary
Express 1 at Spruce Kings 3
First Period
1. Prince George, B.Poisson 1 (Vanroboys, Coyle) 3:45 (pp)
Penalties – Cameron Coq (boarding) 2:44, Watson-Brawn PG (high-sticking) 5:17, Walton Coq (boarding) 5:45, Watson-Brawn PG (check to the head, misconduct) 12:48, Brar PG (slashing) 15:37, Manz PG (kneeing) 19:34.
Second Period
2. Coquitlam, Gregga 1 (Kimens) 0:45 (pp)
3. Prince George, Ahac 1 (B.Poisson) 5:42
Penalties – Cameron Coq (roughing) 7:50,
Third Period
4. Prince George, Manz 1 (Brar) 19:11 (en)
Penalties – Walton Coq (roughing), Lee PG (roughing) 17:27
Shots on goal by
Coquitlam 10 8 4 -22
Prince George 10 11 8 -29
Goal – Coquitlam, Stevenson (0-0)); Prince George, Neaton (0-0).
Power plays – Coq: 1-5; PG: 1-3.
Referees – Matt Hicketts, Nick Panter; Linesmen – Anthony Mallett, Ryley Balsam.
Attendance – 1,267.
Scratches – Coquitlam: D Kabir Gill (healthy), F Cooper Connell (healthy); Prince George: F Nick Wilson (healthy), F Craig MacDonald (healthy), D Jason Chu (healthy).
