Coming off a 3-0 shutout performance over the Cowichan Valley Capitals Saturday in Duncan, Sam Tanguay and his Prince George Spruce Kings went into Langley Events Centre Sunday afternoon hoping to conjure up some similar hockey magic.
The Langley Rivermen weren't having any part of that. They had a few tricks up their own sleeves and pounded the Spruce Kings 5-1 in their last B.C. Hockey League game before the Christmas break.
Corey Hoffman got the Kings started with the first goal of the game, 15:31 into the first period, but with 1:17 left in the period Matty Saharchuk slipped the puck past Tanguay to tie the game.
The Rivermen took the lead late in the second period with goals four minutes apart from Torrin White, who converted a 2-on-1 break, and Zac Masson. Then in the third period, John Schuldt and Jason O'Neill put two more pucks into the Kings' net to cap the scoring.
Dominic Franco, the game's first star, had two assists.
The Rivermen outshot the Kings 45-35.
"We generated a lot of chances, we just couldn't score," said Kings head coach Chad van Diemen.
"We just have to find the consistency of how we played in Cowichan."
The win moved the Rivermen (21-13-1-0, third in the Mainland Division) to within four points of the second-place Wenatchee Wild. The Spruce Kings (9-26-0-2) remain fifth in the Mainland.
Sunday's result came less than 24 hours after the 20-year-old Tanguay stopped all 29 shots to give the Spruce Kings a surprise victory over the Capitals (18-13-2-3, second in the Island Division). Kings forward Jarod Hovde opened the scoring just 47 seconds into Saturday's game. Bryan Basilico padded the lead in the second period and Nik Ponak added some insurance late in the third period. Cowichan Valley was outshot 32-29.
"That was the first time this year we've played for a good 60 minutes and that's what we have to try to find consistently," said van Diemen.
The Spruce Kings went 0-for-7 on the power play against the Capitals and failed to score in five chances against Langley.
The Kings' power play was 0-for-3 in Nanaimo.
"Our power play has gone pretty dry," sad van Diemen. "We're not getting very many shots, instead of trying to shoot, we're overthinking them."
The Spruce Kings started their roadtrip Friday with a 9-1 loss to the Nanaimo Clippers. Tanguay started that game and was replaced by Liam McCloskey 3:25 into the third period, with the Clippers ahead 6-1. McCloskey suffered a minor leg injury n the Chilliwack series at home last week but it's not serious.
Forwards Jake LeBrun (broken clavicle) and Braiden Epp (knee strain) and defencemen Ryan Fritz and Alex Stoley (both out with upper-body injuries) did not play on the weekend. Van Diemen said Epp could be ready to go in early January.
The Kings will be back in Prince George a week from Tuesday and they resume their BCHL schedule Jan. 2-3 with road games in Coquitlam and Langley.
They don't play again at the Coliseum until Thursday, Jan. 14, when they host the Trail Smoke Eaters.
With 21 games left on the schedule, Prince George remains 15 points behind Coquitlam for the fourth and final Mainland Division playoff spot.
