Poisson is the French word for fish.
Nick Poisson was more like a shark the way he fed off his chances around the net Monday night in Coquitlam.
The 17-year-old Prince George Spruce Kings winger scored two goals to trigger a 5-2 victory over the Coquitlam Express which pushed the Express to the precipice of elimination in their best-of-seven B.C. Hockey League Mainland Division semifinal series. The Kings now lead the series 3-0 and will have a chance to wrap it up in Game 4 tonight (7:15 start) in Coquitlam.
With his parents from Vancouver watching among the crowd of 571 at Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre in Coquitlam, Poisson teamed up on a line with his brother Ben and Chong Min Lee to pick up his first career playoff points. Nick's second goal of the game late in the third period made it a 3-2 game and that stood as the gamewinner.
Lee had a two-point game with a goal and an assist and defencemen Layton Ahac and Liam Watson-Brawn also scored for Prince George. Alex DiPaolo and Dallas Farrell were the Express goalscorers.
The Spruce Kings got off to a great start, using a strong forecheck to pin the Express in the defensive zone and build a 13-3 shot advantage in the first four minutes. Lucas Vanroboys, the overtime hero for Prince George in Game 2, took advantage of a turnover in the Coquitlam end and dug the puck put of the corner for linemate Corey Cunningham. Cunningham's shot from close range was stopped by goalie Kolby Matthews, but the rebound came out to Lee and he buried it for his second of the playoffs 7:54 into the game.
The Express tied it five minutes later. Defenceman Jack Cameron carried the puck deep into Kings' territory along the left wing boards and put the puck on net. The rebound popped out to DiPaulo and his high shot found the back of the net.
The Spruce Kings owned the puck and had the Express under pressure in their own zone through wide stretches of the second period and were rewarded with quality chances and two goals. Ben Poisson picked off a pass attempt from Ty Westgard just outside the Coquitlam line and carried the puck down the right side and fed a pass to his younger brother Nick, who blasted in a one-timer from the slot, to make it a 2-1 game, 7:02 into the period.
Matthews kept Coquitlam in the game and late in the period Westgard shovelled the puck out of the corner into the slot and it ticked off the skate of Farrell in behind Prince George goalie Logan Neaton.
That came at 17:36 of the second and the Kings had an answer for it, right away. Nick Poisson collected his second of the game at the 18:57 mark after Lee circled behind the net with the puck and threaded a pass through the crease to a waiting Poisson and he buried it from a sharp angle to restore the lead.
Ahac collected his second of the second of the playoffs, 8:46 into the third period, and Watson-Brawn scored into an empty net while shorthanded with 25 seconds left.
The shots favoured the Kings 34-33. Neaton earned his third win of the postseason.
LOOSE PUCKS: The Langley Rivermen have the Chilliwack Chiefs on the verge of elimination after stomping them 5-0 Monday in Langley in Game 3 of the other Mainland Division semifinal series. Rivermen forward Mark Gallant, who fired the double-overtime winner in Game 2 Saturday, scored four goals for Langley to give the Rivermen a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is tonight in Langley. The Chiefs are defending RBC Cup junior A national champions and finished one point ahead of the Spruce Kings for first place overall this season in the BCHL. The winner of the Chilliwack-Langley series will take on the Prince George-Coquitlam winner in Round 2 of the playoffs... In other BCHL playoff results, the Powell River Kings jumped ahead 2-1 in their Island Division series with the Nanaimo Clippers after a 3-1 win Monday in Nanaimo. In an Interior Division matchup, the Vernon Vipers defeated the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 2-1 in overtime to take a 2-1 series lead..
BCHL playoffs
Mainland Division semifinal
Prince George Spruce Kings vs. Coquitlam Express
(Spruce Kings lead best–of-seven series 3-0)
Monday’s summary
Game 4
Spruce Kings 5 at Express 2
First Period
1. Prince George, Lee 2 (Cunningham, Vanroboys) 7:54
2. Coquitlam, DiPaulo 1 (Cameron, Wildauer) 12:50
Penalties – None.
Second Period
3. Prince George, N.Poisson 1 (B.Poisson) 7:02
4. Coquitlam, Farrell 1 (Westgard, Pearson) 17:36
5. Prince George, N.Poisson 2 (Lee, B.Poisson) 18:57
Penalties – None.
Third Period
6. Prince George, Ahac 2 (Anhorn, Vanroboys) 8:40
7. Prince George, Watson-Brawn 1 , 19:35 (en-sh)
Penalties – Schulting Coq (check to the head, misconduct) 5:37, Anhorn PG (interference) 18:46.
Shots on goal by
Prince George 13 14 7 34
Coquitlam 14 9 10 -33
Goal – Coquitlam, Matthews (L,0-2); Prince George, Neaton (W,3-0).
Power plays – Coq: 0-1; PG: 0-1.
Referees – Bryan Bourdon, Trevor Beaton; Linesmen – Nick Albinati, Tim Plamondon.
Attendance – 571.
Scratches – Coquitlam: D Kabir Gill (healthy), F Connor Gregga (upper body); Prince George: F Craig MacDonald (healthy), F Nick Wilson (healthy), D Jason Chu (healthy).
