For the Prince George Spruce Kings it was so much a Showcase as a forgettable weekend.
The Spruce Kings dropped both their games at the 2013 Bauer Showcase in Chilliwack, opening the B.C. Hockey League regular season with an 0-2 record. After blowing a 3-1 advantage Saturday and losing 4-3 to the Cowichan Valley Capitals, the Spruce Kings lost a 3-1 decision to the Nanaimo Clippers in a Sunday matinee.
Riley Hawes scored his first BCHL goal on a power play to tie the game at 1-1 after the Clippers had taken an early 1-0 lead on a power play of their own in the opening period. Bryant Christian and defenceman Christian Weidauer picked up the assists on Hawes' goal.
Weidauer had an impressive debut in a Spruce Kings jersey picking up a goal and three assists in his first two games.
The Clippers out shot the Spruce Kings 35-31 as both Jayson Argue (Nanaimo) and Jesse Jenks (Prince George) had solid outings in their respective nets. Brendan Taylor beat Jenks for the winning goal at the 19-minute mark of the second period on a power play. Taylor added an assist on Devin Brosseau's third-period marker with seven minutes to play.
Former Spruce King goalie Liam McLeod was the backup netminder for the Clippers, while last season's Cariboo Cougars captain Ryan Forbes had a goal for the Clippers in their first game, a 6-5 win over West Kelowna.
Saturday, the Spruce Kings took a 3-1 lead early in the third period, but the Capitals scored three straight, including the winner by Brayden Gelsinger with 44 seconds left on a power play, to hand the Kings the loss. Weidauer, Jake LeBrun and Skylar Pacheco scored for Prince Geroge.
Alex Murray faced 17 shots in the Spruce Kings' net, while Robin Gusse stopped 26 of 29 shots for Cowichan Valley.
The Langley Rivermen lead the Mainland division with a 2-0 record, followed by the Coquitlam Express and Surrey Eagles at 1-1. The Chilliwack Chiefs lost their first game and at press time were tied 1-1 with the Vernon Vipers with three minutes to go in the final game of the Showcase weekend.
The Spruce Kings host the Chilliwack Chiefs in a doubleheader weekend at the Coliseum with games Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.
