It didn't show it on the scoreboard, but the Prince George Spruce Kings actually played quite well Thursday night against the playoff-bound Langley Rivermen - for 40 minutes.
Too bad about that third period.
The Rivermen dominated it.
The visitors, who never trailed in the game, scored three times in the final period to win 5-1 and disappoint the majority of a crowd of 862 at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
Unanswered goals from Adam Sinclair, Max Kaufman and Torrin White sealed the Spruce Kings' fate.
The Rivermen started the third period on the power play and the Kings were 27 seconds away from killing it off when Sinclair beat Liam McCloskey cleanly with a shot from the side of the net.
Then at the 2:48 mark, Kaufman took a back-door pass from Zac Masson and rifled the puck in over McCloskey's shoulder.
White capped the scoring late in the game with his 31st of the season
The win moved the Rivermen (30-21-3-1) within six points of the Wenatchee Wild for second place in the B.C. Hockey League's Mainland Division.
The Spruce Kings (12-38-4-1, fifth in Mainland), were eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago.
The teams traded chances in an evenly-played, fast-paced opening 20 minutes but it remained scoreless until late in the period.
Kings defenceman Stephen Penner made the initial save when a deking Trevor Ayre drew McCloskey out of position in the crease but the rebound came back out to Matthew Graham in the deep slot and he had an easy tap-in for his 23rd of the season.
Graham also collected two assists, giving him 61 points in 53 games as Langley's leading scorer.
The Kings outchanced their opponents by a wide margin in the second period, taking advantage of three power-play chances, but still trailed by a goal heading into the intermission. They fired 12 shots in the middle frame at goalie Nickolas Trenciansky and only one got behind the 19-year-old product of Ste. Rose, Man. He made a stick save to take one away from Braiden Epp on a shorthanded breakaway.
Kings winger Tanner Campbell, in his third game back from an ankle injury, took a feed from Matthew Stief in the face-off circle and uncoiled a high wristshot to beat Trenciansky - a power-play goal 18:59 into the second.
It was the first goal for Campbell since he scored six in one weekend after arriving in a trade from West Kelowna. That cut the Langley lead to 2-1.
The Rivermen potted their second goal a few minutes earlier on a quick rush set up by Dominic Franco.
He rifled off a pass in front for Justin Szeto, who was a step quicker than his check, Nik Ponak, and the puck sailed in past McCloskey.
LOOSE PUCKS: The three stars were: 1. Graham; 2. Kings forward Kyle Johnson (who assisted on Campbell's goal); and 20-year-old Langley left winger Matt Saharchuk (who brought his own cheering section from Fort St. James)... The Spruce Kings take on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs tonight (7 p.m.) at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena. All minor hockey players who wear their team jerseys will be admitted free... The Kings wrap up their season next weekend when they host the Surrey Eagles in a two-game set.
