Kirk Thompson returned to the Prince George Spruce Kings determined to make his final season in the BCHL a memorable one.
The Surrey native prepared for his third season with Kings by suiting up at the Langley Sportsplex, and trying to stop the 2011 NHL top draft pick, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, from scoring over the summer.
"It was kind of cool the first time I saw him in the dressing room I was just kind of mind-blown, 'Like, wow, I'm sitting beside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins,'" said Thompson about the Edmonton Oilers player.
But once the players, which also included the Columbus Blue Jackets Ryan Johansen, Colton Gillies of the Minnesota Wild and Greg Zanon of the Boston Bruins, hit the ice,Thompson said there was no star treatment for anyone.
"On the ice it runs through your head that it's Hopkins but he's just like anyone else out there," said Thompson. "He's not perfect but he's a treat to watch.
"It was a big challenge for me to get out and play with those guys and a great opportunity," he added. "Unlike a lot of other ice times you go to in the off season which are pretty relaxed, it was pretty intense ice time over the summer."
The four-day a week practices with the NHL players, plus five days of off-ice training appears to have given Thompson an edge as he's coming off back-to-back wins at the Prince George Coliseum on the weekend.
On Saturday the 20-year-old goaltender earned the second shutout of his junior A career in a 3-0 Kings' win over the Surrey Eagles. The win was Thompson's seventh of the campaign and improved his season total to 7-3-1.
Thompson has a .924 save percentage and a 2.17 goals against average this season as the go-to goalie for the Kings. In the win over the Eagles, Thompson rose to the challenge of stopping all 18 shots he faced in the third period for the 38-save shutout. It followed up a 16-save performance by Thompson in Friday's 2-1 win over the Powell River Kings.
Kings head coach Dave Dupas said the veteran goalie has given the club a chance to win each night this season.
"[The Eagles] threw everything at us in the third period and we hung on and Kirk hung on and made some big saves," said Dupas. "It's nice to have a goalie in there you can rely on game in and game out. He makes the saves he has to make and our defence helped him out at times and our forwards blocked a ton of shots giving it up for the team."
Colten Hansen scored his sixth and seventh goals of the season while Shayne Morrissey assisted on Hansen's first marker and scored his first BCHL goal and Thompson did the rest in a scoreless third period.
The Kings played without captain Trevor Esau (back injury) - who shares the seniority on the team with Thompson - giving the goalie a chance to take on more of a leadership role.
"The team's relying on me a lot more not only on the ice but off the ice for leadership," said Thompson. "I've just taken that and put it in my game and it's showing on the ice. It was also a challenge for me to have to step up in the room and pick up some of the leadership."
In 84 career games with the Kings, Thompson has a 29-43-3 record with an .899 save percentage and a 3.22 goals against average.
As for his post BCHL future, Thompson said he's keeping his options open.
"I've had some feedback from a few schools that are interested in me, I just have to keep doing what I'm doing and I'm sure something will work out and I'll have a place to play next year down in the [United] States," he said. "There are other opportunities out there too."
Kings notes: Other players out of the Kings lineup with injury include: Tanner Fjellstrom (sprained ankle) who played Friday but re-injured the ligament; Lyndon Martell (concussion); Tyson Witala (lower body) and David London (broken collarbone).
