The Prince George Spruce Kings' season record is a true reflection of their play of late in the B.C. Hockey League.
They're up and down like a yo-yo.
Twenty-three games into the season, they've won almost as many games (10) as they've lost (11) and rank 10th overall in points in the 17-team league.
Sometimes the Spruce Kings look like world-beaters, as they did through much of their most recent game, a 6-3 triumph last Saturday in Coquitlam, and sometimes they resemble the team that got badly outplayed last Friday in Surrey and lost 2-1 in overtime.
So what team will show up tonight at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena to face the Nanaimo Clippers? Kings head coach Chad van Diemen knows which one he'd rather see.
"I didn't like our game in Surrey, for our first game on Olympic ice there's some adjustments to be made but I thought we gave up way too many shots against (49) and too many Grade A chances just because we didn't play a smart game," said van Diemen.
"You're frustrated that you only got one point but you also feel like you stole one just because of how we played. We missed a lot of chances and had we played a smarter game we could have come out of their with two points.
"We took took many penalties in Coquitlam (eight) and had some big kills early and we scored on some chances early so it was nice to get a lead, but we did let it slip a little. We had a 5-1 lead and let them back into it a bit and it was a tight game at 5-3, but that last eight or 10 minutes we were really good. We possessed the puck for long stretches in the offensive zone and really gave them nothing down the stretch and were able to make it a three-goal game again."
The bottom line is the Kings came home from the roadtrip with three of a possible four points to remain third in the Mainland Division, but van Diemen says his team has to strive for more consistency. That means making better decisions on the ice and not giving the puck away so often.
Kings left winger Jarod Hovde had an incredible game in Coquitlam with two goals and three assists playing on a line with Ethan de Jong and Kyle Johnson, by far Hovde's most productive night in two seasons with the Kings.
"He's had a slow start to the season points-wise but lately he's been one of our most consistent guys and it's great to see him get rewarded," said van Diemen. "He was doing a lot of little things right, which he's done for us all year. He's a reliable player who's good on the penalty kill and he was able to string some points together."
Tavin Grant took the spotlight in goal both games with Stefan Wornig unavailable and did everything in his power to preserve the point in Surrey, making 48 saves. Grant, who joined the Kings in October, picked up his third win of the season with a 32-save game in Coquitlam.
"Tavin has been a little inconsistent but he played well in both games last weekend," said van Diemen.
Wornig has a chronic condition which leads to muscle cramping and profuse sweating his affliction flared up on him after he played Nov. 8 in West Kelowna. He's been trying to set up an appointment with a specialist to determine the cause and is at home in Surrey. In Wornig's absence, 18-year-old junior B goalie Aris Anagnostopoulos has been called up from the Kamloops Storm and has been practicing all week with the Kings.
Kings right winger Tanner Campbell won't play this weekend. He's dealing with a neck injury ad a sinus condition and has been sent home to Kelowna for treatment. He did not play in Coquitlam.
Kings fans will have to wait one more week to see 19-year-old forward Keegan Ward make his BCHL debut. Acquired last week in a trade for future considerations from Omaha of the USHL, Ward was suspended eight games for squirting his water bottle at the fans in a game Oct. 15 in Fargo, N.D. Ward will be eligible to play Nov. 25 when the Kings host Coquitlam.
The Clippers (11-10-3-0) have won just one of their five games in November and have lost three straight. On Saturday, the Spruce Kings host the Surrey Eagles.
The Kings announced a couple of trades Thursday, each involving forwards. They shipped 18-year-old Cavin Tilsley to the West Kelowna Warriors for future considerations and replaced Tilsley with 18-year-old forward Ben Brar, acquired from the Penticton Vees for futures.
Brar, a six-foot-two, 180-pound native of Abbotsford recruited to play next season for the NCAA Division 1 University of Denver Pioneers, is in his second BCHL season. In 21 games with the Vees he collected two goals and four points. He had four goals and nine points in 55 games with the Vees last season. In 22 games this season for the Kings, the five-foot-nine, 165-pound Tilsley totaled two goals and seven assists.
