Spruce Kings Find a Way to Win

Mitch Eden (27) celebrates his game winning goal
Photo courtesy Garrett James Photography

The Spruce Kings found a way to win and extend their current winning streak to four games after downing the Surrey Eagles 3-2 on Friday night. Jeremiah Luedtke (5), Chad Staley (8) and Mitch Eden (2) scoring for Prince George as the team led on shots and scoring chances but needed a break to put this one away.

Prince George found themselves down 1-0 after giving up a shorthanded goal while having pressure and controlling the play in the Surrey end. Off an offensive faceoff win, the puck came back to the d-man, got caught in skates and from there Nic Pierog poked it out to centre, got a step on his pursuers and was able to snap one past Alex Murray low to the glove side.

The Spruce Kings outshot the Eagles in the first period and had plenty of chances but couldn't find one to go behind Devon Fordyce. Knowing they only trailed by one and had the majority of the play leading 17-6 on the shot clock was all they were able to take to the dressing room.

Already missing three forwards (Bryant Christian, Jake LeBrun and Mitch Barker), the last thing the Spruce Kings need is to go down another forward. Two minutes into the second period, Colton Mackie tracked Justin Rai across the ice and when Rai was up against the boards with the puck in his feet, Mackie hit Rai with high hit that sent him to the ice in a heap. After a few tense moments, Rai was able to get up and get off the ice on his own power. Mackie was assessed a five minute major for charging and also given a game misconduct for the dangerous hit.

The Spruce Kings looked good early on in their third man advantage. On a nice play that saw Chad Staley pass the puck across the top of the zone to Skylar Pacheco who then set up Brent Lashuk in the high slot for the one-timer, it was Jeremiah Luedtke standing in the dirty area that tipped the blast past Fordyce to pull Prince George even tied 1-1. For Luedtke it was his fifth goal of the season and fourth in four games.

Prince George couldn't do much with the remaining time on the five minute major and ended up taking an even up penalty setting up a four-on-four situation that became a four-on-three for Surrey when the Spruce Kings took another penalty. The Spruce Kings, who have been frustrating opponents on their powerplay, did so again killing off the short two man and one man disadvantages. The period would end in a 1-1 tie with the Spruce Kings still leading on the shot clock 26-13.

In the third period, just when it looked like Prince George couldn't find a break, they would get the first of two when Chad Staley intercepted a pass and was able to beat the defender into the Eagles zone. Despite being hauled down on the play in the deep slot, Staley was able to direct the puck through Fordyce and into the back of the net while sliding through the crease on his knees. With the goal, Staley took over top spot on team scoring with 8 goals and 8 assists.

Minutes later the game would be tied again on a play that started with a big hit on Cole Todd right in front of the Surrey bench. Todd was hit up high to the head, but no call was coming. As the puck made it's way back inside the Spruce Kings zone, the Prince George players seemed to be confused leaving a large section of the zone undefended. Jonah Renouf was able to spot his twin brother wide open on the far side faceoff circle and fed the puck through. Murray was well out of his crease leaving the net wide open for Nathan Renouf to score his first in the BCHL in his first game of the season after being injured for the first 18 games for Surrey.

The hockey gods have been watching the Spruce Kings and decided to reward them for their hard work, perseverance and sheer determination. With less than three minutes to go in regulation and the game tied 2-2, the Spruce Kings would dump the puck down the ice and go in hard on the forecheck. Devon Fordyce lost the handle on the puck and put it right on the stick of Brent Lashuk who directed the puck over to Chad Staley. Looking for his second of the night, Fordyce would get back into position to make the save but knocked the rebound out to Mitch Eden who had followed the play down the right side of the wall. Eden was able to slip the puck into the net before Fordyce could do anything about it.

The goal was like a pin popping an overinflated balloon as all energy and excitement was extinguished in the South Surrey Arena. The Spruce Kings would hold on for the final two and half minutes to post their eleventh win of the season and first of the year against the Surrey Eagles. The win gives the Spruce Kings 24 points which is two back of the Mainland Division leading Langley Rivermen. The two teams will meet Saturday night in the Langley Events Centre in what could be a physically demanding game on the Prince George Spruce Kings given how the game ended two weekends ago.

The Spruce Kings certainly don't want to get into that kind of scenario already down four players and possibly six after tonight. Bryant Christian isn't expected back until mid-December at the earliest, Jake LeBrun is still two weeks away from getting back in the game, Mitch Barker is expected back next weekend and Jesse Jenks is away at the World Junior A Challenge until November 11th. After tonight's hits on Justin Rai and Cole Todd, those two forwards are now question marks heading into Saturday's game.

Jenks to the World Junior A Challenge

Spruce Kings rookie netminder, Jesse Jenks has been selected
to Team Canada West roster for the World Junior A Challenge

It is one of the early season prestigious tournaments and Jesse Jenks is on the roster for Team Canada West. The World Junior A Challenge is entering its eighth edition and for the six time in those eight years, a Prince George Spruce Kings player will have a chance to play for gold in front of every NHL team as well as scouts from around the hockey world.

The World Junior A Challenge is an annual event that rivals others for exposure of the players looking to make an impact to further their hockey careers. With the best of the best players coming from hockey hotbeds around the world, scouts flock to the tournament with plenty of paper and ink to make notes on players that are draft eligible or better yet, diamonds in the rough waiting to be uncovered.

Jujhar Khaira was the most recent member from the Spruce Kings roster to play in the WJAC two seasons ago. Khaira ended up winning gold with Team Canada West and was drafted the following summer by the Edmonton Oilers in the 3rd round of the NHL Draft.

In 2011, Team Canada West won their third gold medal at the WJAC. In the inaugural tournament, Team Canada West won gold and followed it up with a repeat performance the following year. In year three and year four, Team Canada West had to settle for silver and missed out on any medal in 2010. Last year Team Canada West came away with their third silver to improve their medal haul to 3 golds and 3 silvers in 7 years. The United States also has six medals with four golds and a pair of bronze followed by Team Canada East with their four silvers and one bronze medal.

Jenks becomes the sixth Spruce King to be selected to the Team Canada West roster and second goaltender. Kevin Genoe won silver in net in 2008 and went on to play four years of NCAA Division I hockey with Michigan Tech. Ryan deVries (2006 - Gold), Jeff Forsythe (2007 - Gold) and Wes McLeod (Silver - 2009) were three defenceman chosen from the Prince George Spruce Kings while Jujhar Khaira (2011 - Gold) has been the only forward to be selected so far.

The 2013 World Junior A Challenge will take place from November 4 - 10 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia with Team Canada West playing an exhibition game against the Americans on November 2nd in Digby, Nova Scotia. Team Canada West will play round robin games against Switzerland and the Czech Republic on November 4th and 5th. Quarter final games will be on Thursday November 7th and the semi finals on Friday November 8th. The relegation games are scheduled for Saturday and the Gold Medal game is set for Sunday November 10th at 9am PDT.

Staley's First Trick

Jesse Jenks and the Spruce Kings were undersiege in the
2nd and 3rd periods but came away with a 7-4 win

Although it is going to take a BCHL review of a goal, Chad Staley's hat trick proves to be too much for the Merritt Centennials to overcome as the Spruce Kings post a 7-4 win Thursday night in Prince George.

There is no video review during a game but afterwards the League can review all goals and make any necessary scoring changes. Staley will have to wait for this process to happen before he will be able to see his first official BCHL hat trick on the score sheet. In the meantime the entire team will get to enjoy a night off before getting back to it on Saturday night when they take on the Cowichan Valley Capitals.

On Thursday night, the Spruce Kings opened the scoring early in the first period on their first powerplay chance. Although they had some issues getting the 5-on-4 to work, it would be the top line of Staley, Jeremiah Luedtke and Brent Lashuk that figured it out before the man advantage ended. Staley carried the puck into the zone before passing it off to Luedtke who took the initial shot. The rebound came out to Lashuk who also had an attempt at the shot with the puck coming out to the slot for Staley to put behind Russell Sanderson.

The Spruce Kings would make a 2-0 game shortly afterwards on a broken play that was started by Donovan Law, the affiliate player called up earlier in the day. After it was determined following the morning skate that Riley Hawes would not be able to go for the evening, the call was made for Law to join the Spruce Kings for that night. Law is currently playing for the 100 Mile House Wranglers of the KIJHL and made the four hour drive to Prince George.

Playing on a line with Sean Landrey and Matt Painchaud, Law picked up the puck on the left wing and fired a pass to Landrey through centre ice. As Landrey went in to the offensive zone, his original shot was blocked and bounced towards the slot with Landrey following behind. With a quick slap at the puck it became a knuckler that flew past the glove side of Sanderson at 10:39 of the first period.

For the 3-0 goal, the Spruce Kings can thank Jesse Jenks for turning aside three big Merritt chances. With the Centennials battling for the puck in the Prince George end, Christian Weidauer was able to dig the puck out to Bryant Christian who took off down the ice with Brent Lashuk and Justin Rai on the rush. Christian chipped the puck off the wall to Lashuk who carried it in to the right side faceoff circle before centering the puck for Rai to bury his third of the season.

At 17:12 of the first period, the Spruce Kings stretched their lead over the visitors to four on a powerplay goal scored on their second man advantage of the game. The powerplay started with a shorthanded chance for the Merritt Centennials that was broken up by Skylar Pacheco. The three year veteran on the blue line was able to get the powerplay headed in the right direction and setup in the offensive zone. Brogan O'Brien found the puck on the right wall and skated around the perimeter before coming down the slot. The sixteen year old rookie's shot was stopped with the rebound going out to the left side to Pacheco who come down the wing and fired home his sixth of the season.

The first period was highlighted by some long stretches of play with few whistles and when the whistles did come they were either the result of goals or penalties; the BCHL time out never came until the 19 minute mark. The final minute saw the Spruce Kings with one more scoring chance when Brent Lashuk was sprung on the right side. After twenty minutes, the Spruce Kings had a 4-0 lead and led on the shot clock 11-9.

To start the second period, Devin Kero replaced Russell Sanderson between the pipes and the rest of the team took everything they could to the Prince George end of the ice firing shot after shot on Jesse Jenks. The pressure applied led to a couple of penalties that the Centennials were able to capitalize on to make the game close. The Spruce Kings seemed to be on their heels for a majority of that second period and were holding onto a 4-2 lead until the line of Staley, Luedtke and Lashuk fired up their engines again.

Late in that second period Staley would find the goal post on a hard shot from the right side. On their very next shift, on a play that Mitch Eden setup to spring the trio, Luedtke was able to get a weak shot on goal that fooled Kero. The shot was stopped by not covered and as Staley came around from behind the net he found the loose puck and lifted it over the glove of Kero. The goal was originally credited to another player but the video clearly shows it was Staley's sixth of the season.

The Spruce Kings went to the dressing room leading by three despite being outshot in the second period by a margin of 14-8 and 23-19 through forty minutes of play. Into the third period, the Centennials would pick up where they left off and be rewarded five minutes later with their third goal of the game and first one scored at even strength. The game would remain a 5-3 game for another nine minutes.

With the Spruce Kings trying to kill off another penalty, Chad Staley was sprung on a breakaway down the middle. Staley was caught by the Centennials defenceman who tried to take the shot away only to be called for interference leading to Staley being awarded a penalty shot. Staley took his time getting ready for his first ever penalty shot but as he picked up the puck at centre ice, the anticipation in the building grew. Staley came straight down the lane as he closed in the Centennials netminder, faked to his backhand before pulling it back to his forehand and sliding it past Kero.

Before the end of the game, the visitors would get a lucky bounce as a dump in shot from the point would literally bounce past Jesse Jenks giving Merritt a renewed source of optimism. Shortly after the ensuing puck drop, the Centennials opted for an extra attacker and pulled the goaltender. After stopping the initial attack, Karan Toor carried the puck to the centre ice line and fired at the open net only to hit the base of the right side post.

In the final minute the Spruce Kings would again find themselves hemmed in their own zone. Again it was Toor that found a way to get the puck out of the zone and continued to chase it down the right side wall winning the battle for the puck. Toor got that shot away and watched as the puck slid over the goal line giving the defenceman his third goal of the season and the Spruce Kings a 7-4 win over the visiting Centennials.

It was the second time this season that the Spruce Kings scored seven goals against an opponent on home ice, it was also the first win this season against the Merritt Centennials. More importantly the win with seven goals provides the team in the dressing room a great deal of relief knowing that they can score goals despite the absence of Jake LeBrun who still remains sidelined with his concussion. Since Brent Lashuk has returned to the lineup, the Spruce Kings have scored 15 goals after being held to just four in the four games when both Lashuk and LeBrun were out of the lineup.

The Spruce Kings will be looking for that trend to continue as they take on the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Saturday night in the Coliseum.

The Luedtke Lob for the Win

Jesse Jenks (1) was on his game turning aside 26 of 27 shots
photo courtesy Garrett James Photography

The Prince George Spruce Kings finished their three game road trip with a 3-1 win over the Langley Rivermen and moved up a notch in the Mainland Division Sunday afternoon. Jeremiah Luedtke scored first on the power play, then he setup Chad Staley for the eventual game winner in the first period and capped off a first star bid scoring on a break away late in the third.

The line of Luedtke, Staley and Brent Lashuk carried much of the play for the Spruce Kings creating chance after chance all game long. Justin Rai, Bryant Christian, Brogan O'Brien and Cole Todd all created offensive chances as well. When the Spruce Kings weren't in control of the puck, the defense did a great job of minimizing chances for the Rivermen. Jesse Jenks did the rest turning aside all but one shot on goal.

The Spruce Kings started early with pressure in the offensive zone. In the opening minutes, Luedtke fed a back door pass through the crease to Rai, who came down from the face off circle only to be stopped by the big pad of Steve Myland. The Spruce Kings kept pressing for th first goal and would draw the first power play of the game.

With Lashuk working the left faceoff circle and Staley and Luedtke causing grief for the penalty killers with the cycling. Lashuk fired a shot on net that settled in the blue paint just out of the reach of the netminder. When Myland made the decision to go for the puck, in an effort to cover it with his glove, Luedtke reached in and poked the puck under Myland. The goal was the second on the season for the returning forward and the first power play goal for the Spruce Kings on the weekend.

A few minutes later the Langley Rivermen would have their best chance of the period when Jakob Reichert would bust in through the middle and fire a bullet off the glove side goal post on Jesse Jenks. The Spruce Kings went the other way shortly after that on an odd man rush with Lashuk carrying the puck. Lashuk fired a shot on goal with Chad Staley going hard to the net, the defender on the play tried to hold up Staley and everybody crashed in on the goalie knocking Myland into the back of his net.

Staley was quick to get out of the crease and found the puck, his first attempt bounced back to him off the bodies on the ice. Staley grabbed the loose puck and stepped back giving himself room to lift it up and over the still down and out Rivermen defender and goaltender. There was some thought that the whistle should have blown the play dead, but the puck remained loose the entire time and it was only a Rivermen defender that made it impossible for the goalie to get back into position.

The Spruce Kings would hold onto their 2-0 lead out shooting the Langley Rivermen 11-7 through the first period of play. The Spruce Kings out shot the Rivermen again 10-8 in the second period with both teams trading chances and a pair of power play opportunities including a two man advantage for over a minute for Langley.

Mitch Eden took the first penalty,  a tripping mior at 7:33. While killing off that one, Skylar Pacheco lost his stick and tried using his glove to clear the zone. Instead the glove cupped the puck and Pacheco ended up clearing it up and over the glass with 1:07 still remaining in Eden's minor. The Rivermen were unable to muster much of anything getting only one shot on goal from the outside.

As Eden got back into the play he setup the first of two shorthanded chances and the Spruce Kings would continue to apply pressure as they got back to full strength.  The defensive game and the offensive chances led to some frustration on the part of the home team who took back-to-back penalties late in the period including a boarding call that saw Chad Staley hit from behind face first into the dasher and corner glass. Fortunately for Staley and the Spruce Kings, the dynamo vet was okay and stayed on the ice to take his turn on the power play.

Neither team was able to score in the second period and the game remained a 2-0 lead for Prince George after forty minutes of play. To start the third period, the Rivermen came out hungry for their first goal and a chance to get back in the game. Their aggressive start led to a couple more power play chances. The first was when Matt Painchaud slashed the stick out of the hands of Mitch McLain as the Rivermen's leading scorer was cruising through the slot and about to pick up the puck.

The Spruce Kings killed off that penalty but couldn't kill off the next one as Bryant Christian sat in the sin bin on a holding call at 5:55. Sixteen seconds on a broken play, the Rivermen were on the board. James Robinson lost the puck trying to set up in the right corner only to have it kicked back over to him. With players scrambling to get back in to position, Robinson spotted Jakob Reichert coming down the slot and passed him the puck. Reichert took one look and blasted a shot past Jenks to get the Rivermen to within one of the vistors.

For the next twelve minutes,  much of the play would be on the Spruce Kings half of the ice with puck going back and forth over the blue line. With time becoming a factor and the Langley bench looking to get the right players on the ice and the goalie to the bench, Christian Weidauer lobbed a high dump out pass that was intended to clear the zone while avoiding the icing call.

The Spruce Kings, who had at least one bounce go their way in the first,  would get another. The Langley Rivermen defencemen got caught changing as the puck landed at centre ice.  Luedtke skated up on it and broke in on a two-on-none with Lashuk joining in on the left side. Luedtke kept the puck the whole way and then lifted it over Myland's glove into the top corner giving Prince George a 3-1 lead with 1:25 remaining in the third.

The frustration that had been brewing all game finally came out on the next play when a dump-in got caught up in Eden's jersey.  No less than three Langley players started swinging their sticks trying to dislodge the puck. Weidauer quickly got in there to break it up, pulling Reichert out. The two would end up with roughing after the whistle penalties and ten minute misconducts. Austin Azurdia, who was talking with Eden after the whistle,  ended up with a game misconduct after he went after Alex Murray on the Spruce Kings bench.

On the following faceoff Charlie Pelnik slashed Staley and was given a minor and a misconduct for the infraction. That would be the extent of the extracurricular activities as the Spruce Kings registered their eighth win of the season and join the Coquitlam Express in second place in the Mainland Division,  both teams have 18 points. The win also sets up an interesting return to the Langley Events Centre on November 2nd.

The Spruce Kings return home for a pair of games beginning with the Merritt Centennials on Thursday and the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Saturday night. Thursday's game is the second Prince George Motors Feature Game of the Month on 99.3 the Drive. Ron St.Clair will hace the call of the game on the Drive. Prior to that the Spruce Kings will participate in the Inside Ride to raise funds for Camp Goodtimes in support of children suffering from cancer.

Nothing Gained, Nothing Lost

Chad Staley (22) about to take the shot that leads to his
third of the season against the Surrey Eagles
photo courtesy Garrett James Photography

The Prince George Spruce Kings picked up a single point as did the Surrey Eagles in a game that went the distance and then some only to end in a 4-4 double overtime tie. In the BCHL, there is no such thing as a clear cut winner if neither team can score the winning goal through ten extra minutes of four-on-four and three-on-three play.

The Spruce Kings played a very good game and were full marks with four goals on 45 shots through 70 minutes of play but had to settle for a single point giving them a record of 7-7-1-1 and 16 points in 16 games. The goals on the night came from Bryant Christian, Chad Staley and pair from Brent Lashuk. The two scored by Lashuk came sixteen seconds apart on the same shift just moments after the Eagles had a disallowed goal that would have put Prince George down 4-2 in the third period.

The Surrey Eagles started the scoring at 14:51 of the first period on an offensive zone faceoff. Brett Mulcahy won the draw back to Danton Heinen who fired a shot that was blocked. Jesse Jenks went for the save and couldn't get back in position before Heinen would get his own rebound and fire the shot through the Spruce Kings goaltender.

The Spruce Kings would get that one back 38 seconds later when Justin Rai started the play inside his own zone winning a puck battle to Christian Weidauer. The Spruce Kings leading offensive defenceman started a three-on-two rush up the right side wall. As he gained the Eagles zone he fed the puck over to Cole Todd who let go a shot that was tipped in front by Bryant Christian for his fifth of the season. In the arena, the goal was credited to Cole Todd as the rookie's first BCHL career goal but Todd showed that he is a team first player and that he wants his first to be legitimate after letting team officials know that it was indeed Christian's goal.

Less than two minutes later the Spruce Kings would take their first lead of the game off a strong play in the corner by Mitch Barker. Fighting for the puck in the corner, Barker was able to dislodge the puck for Riley Hawes who fed the puck to Chad Staley waiting in the faceoff circle. Staley walked the puck towards the slot and when he thought he had enough room, fired a shot to the topside corner on the far side over the glove of Devon Fordyce. That goal would stand up until the 8:37 mark of the second period.

After giving up an early shot on goal in the second period, the Spruce Kings reeled off a series of chances and tallied seven shots on Fordyce through the first eight minutes of the middle frame. Under pressure in their own zone, Matt Dawson elected to go with a designed breakout play off the glass to the waiting winger on the centre ice line. Danton Heinen was able to tip the puck sending it up into the air landing just inside the Spruce Kings blue line. Brett Mulcahy picked up there and went to the net hard with Mitch Eden all over him. As Mulcahy was falling he slapped at the puck and knuckler got through Jenks to tie the game 2-2.

The Surrey Eagles would get life from that goal and applied some pressure on the Spruce Kings getting five more shots before the Spruce Kings would finish the period strong. Shots on goal in the second period favoured Prince George 15-7 and 28-15 through forty minutes. To start the third the Eagles would score first in the period just over two minutes in. Nic Pierog added a fourth goal on the weekend after a hat trick on Friday night, his wrister found twine as it worked its way through a screen set up in front of the net.

Just past the midway mark of the third period, the Eagles fired the puck on net where it sat in the blue paint among skates. With the players pushing and fighting to get a stick on the puck, the puck would go off a skate blade just as the net came off its moorings. The goal light would go on but the referee immediately indicated no-goal. After an extended conversation with his linesman, Nick Swaine stuck to his call on the ice and waved off the goal with the explanation that the net had come off before the puck crossed the goal line.

The Spruce Kings and specifically the line of Chad Staley, Jeremiah Luedtke and Brent Lashuk used that as fuel and led the charge for the visiting team. On a rush up the ice, Danny Kiraly found Staley who then slid the puck over to Lashuk who buried his third of the season to tie the game 3-3. Before the goal could be announced in the South Surrey Arena, the trio were back at it again off the faceoff win by Staley, Luedtke carried the puck over the blue line and spotted Lashuk with it who then scored his fourth of the season giving the Spruce Kings a 4-3 lead just 16 seconds after his first of the night.

Lashuk would have a chance at the hat trick as he came down the middle trailing a play that saw Staley's hard shot kicked into the slot by Fordyce. Lashuk may have waited a split second too long as he looked up before taking the shot that the Eagles goaltender was able to find.

Two and a half minutes later it would be a pair of defenceman for the Surrey Eagles combining on the 4-4 tying goal. On a play that started from behind their own net Kale Bennett spotted Matt Dawson on the right side with a nice pass that left Dawson only one option. Racing down the wall, Dawson elected to shoot as he got to the top of the faceoff circle. The puck caught Jenks on his right side and rolled through his equipment to fall behind the netminder onto the blue paint. As Jenks reached behind him to find the loose puck, it kept rolling out of his reach as it crossed the goal line.

That is how the third period would end with both teams having chances before the end of regulation time to stake a claim on both points. As the game headed to overtime, both teams were given the automatic single point and through ten additional minutes of play, neither team could find a quality shot on goal.

After the game, the Spruce Kings learned that the Coquitlam Express had lost in regulation time meaning that Prince George retains third in the Mainland Division two points back of the Express. The Langley Rivermen and the Penticton Vees also went the full distance with nothing being settled after seventy minutes in a 1-1 final. The single point for the Rivermen gives them 20 on the season and a four point cushion against their next opponent - the Prince George Spruce Kings.

It will be a quick turn-around for both teams with a 2pm scheduled puck drop from the Langley Events Centre. Sunday's matchup with be the first of the season between these two Mainland Divisional opponents. The game will be available online beginning with the pregame show at 1:40pm on Fasthockey.com and the Spruce Kings Mixlr channel.

Crashing the Net

The scene after Bryant Christian goes hard to the net

The Prince George Spruce Kings came up empty Friday night suffering a 2-0 loss to the Penticton Vees. Two more cross bars tonight was as close as the boys would come despite outshooting the home team by a 23-22 margin.

On the very first shift of the game, the Spruce Kings showed some jump and surprised the Penticton Vees with an early chance off the stick of Chad Staley. One shift later Brad McClure put the Penticton Vees on the board when he busted up the right wall, cut to the slot and pulled a forehand backhand deke on Jesse Jenks to open the scoring.

In the loss there was plenty of positives to draw and keep the optimism had a half full level. The Spruce Kings did give up four powerplay opportunities to the League's best special teams unit. In the first two penalty kills, the Spruce Kings not only kept the Vees off the scoreboard but also kept them off the shot clock as well.

On the Vees third powerplay, McClure took matters into his own hands registering three shots on goal and setting up two other scoring chances for Penticton that Jenks denied. The young netminder for Prince George did everything he could in the loss and had to come up with his biggest save of the game while the team in front of him was on their third man advantage. Sprung on a clear cut breakaway from centre, Max Coatta went straight down the slot only to be denied by the glove of Jenks.

The Vees would turn two more shorthanded chances on the same penalty kill and on that third chance, Cody DePourcq would be sprung from the left side and fire a shot shortside that squeezed through to make it a 2-0 game. The Prince George Spruce Kings went 0 for 5 on the man advantage and would also come up empty late in the game when they pulled the goaltender for a 6-on-5.

Late in the final period, Bryant Christian would get a great opportunity as he sped down the right wing, made a cut for the net from the half wall and was able to get a shot on goal before running over the netminder. The puck would cross the goal line but after the whistle had sounded for the goaltender interference call for the captain.

The Spruce Kings continue to struggle to find goals and have only scored once without Brent Lashuk and Jake LeBrun in the lineup. Tomorrow night won't be an easy one either as the number one team in the Interior Division, the West Kelowna Warriors await the arrival of Prince George. The Warriors have 19 points and a share of top spot in the BCHL with the Powell River Kings.

Game time Saturday is 7pm from the Royal LePage Place in West Kelowna.

Unlikely Hero Emerges Tonight

Defensively the Spruce Kings were solid and were
rewarded by the play of one blueliner

The Spruce Kings started a three game weekend with a come-from-behind win over the Coquitlam Express with Karan Toor getting his first BCHL career goal to seal the victory.

Ask anybody cheering for the Spruce Kings on this night what Toor's goal looked like and I'm sure they'll all remember being a bar-down snipe. In reality it was more a case of the hockey gods smiling on one of the hardest working defenceman in the BCHL, crowning Toor the hero on a play that started with a gamble and finished with a scramble at the side of the net.

Early in the game, both teams traded chances and were being stymied by a pair of goaltenders that were able to see almost everything coming there way. Two of the best chances for Prince George to open the scoring in the first period came off a pair of rushes from Bryant Christian and the AP call up, Brogan O'Brien.

Just past the midway mark of the first period, Christian was sprung from his own blue line on a break away. As he closed the gap on the Coquitlam goaltender, Christian though he saw a little daylight on the glove hand side. Gordie Defiel had other thoughts and quickly snared that shot with the big mitt.

A few shifts later it was the Cariboo Cougars call up and future Spruce Kings player, Brogan O'Brien that started a play inside his own zone after muscling the puck away from the opponent. O'Brien carried the puck down the wall and cut to the middle of the ice in the deep slot before attempting a shot. That shot snuck wide after he took a slash from the defender.

The Spruce Kings would come up empty on the ensuing powerplay; in fact both teams were 0 for with the man advantage. The Spruce Kings had just two powerplays to work with in the game while the Express ended up with four on the night.

Before the first period ended, the Coquitlam Express capitalized on a forced turnover in the neutral zone when Adam Rockwell stopped the Spruce Kings breakout attempt and then found Joey Santucci on the the right wing. Santucci came in to the top of the faceoff circle before snapping home a shot that fluttered over the glove of Jesse Jenks.

The Express kept the pressure on to start the second period and four minutes in would be rewarded with a second goal when Bo Pieper strode in on the left wing before zinging a shot to the far side high glove on Jenks.

The Spruce Kings wouldn't take much time to respond and were able to get that one back 78 seconds later when the top line of Brent Lashuk, Jake LeBrun and Bryant Christian came up with the puck and took it to the Coquitlam net. Christian's first shot was stopped but the rebound came right back to the captain who bunted in his second of the season off the side of goaltender.

There would be no more scoring in the middle frame, but the score keepers would be kept busy with a succession of six penalties starting with a quick tilt at centre ice. With Chad Staley busting into the offensive zone, Riley Hawes and Adam Smith dropped their gloves on the Coquitlam Express logo where they quickly exchanged blows before both went down heavily on the frozen canvas. Both would have to go to their respective dressing rooms for repairs.

The rest of the penalties were mostly the result of players crashing the net after saves. One such play resulted in a two minute minor to Bryant Christian for goaltender after he bumped the netminder playing the puck out of the crease area. That penalty would extend into the third period which the Spruce Kings were able to kill off.

At the 5:20 mark the Spruce Kings would tie up the game on a goal mouth scramble that saw the puck come out to the top of the crease for Brent Lashuk to pot his second of the season. On the very next shift, that top line of Lashuk, LeBrun and Christian would stay out and get in on top of the crease again. Cruising through the lower portion of the ice, Christian again bumped the goaltender drawing a second minor for goaltender interference and an automatic game misconduct for the Spruce Kings captain.

With the game tied, the penalty setup the framework for the Studio Cuts Crowning Moment of the Game. If the Coquitlam Express score a powerplay tally it would give them back their lead, but if the Spruce Kings kill it off that should lead to a momentum shift. Sure enough the Spruce Kings would kill it off with big thanks to Jesse Jenks and also Karan Toor who was blocking shots and taking away the down low options.

In a season and a bit, Toor has been one of the most consistent players night in and night out; always battling for puck possession and not giving up position to a puck carrier. In an uncharacteristic gamble, Toor read the play and showed his faith with his team mates on the ice. Toor saw Brent Lashuk challenge the rush and stepped up on the play with Lashuk chipping the puck off the wall. Toor picked up the puck and slid it over to Jake LeBrun as the two turned up the ice on an odd man break.

LeBrun fired the puck on net with the rebound coming over to Toor who looked to be giving the puck back but instead caught just enough of it to put it along the goal line. With a second effort, Toor got another touch on it and watched as the puck crossed the goal line for the defenceman's first BCHL tally in seventy games.

The Spruce Kings bench erupted for the veteran's first goal and Eden was the first to go over and make sure the puck ended up on the Prince George bench. The coaching staff left Toor out there and were rewarded with his tenacious style at protecting the puck as the Express poured it on looking for an equalizer. That even up goal would not come on this evening setting the stage for the Spruce Kings full come-from-behind win, putting the team in a three way tie for second in the Mainland Division.

Jesse Jenks was named the game's first star with Jake LeBrun picking up the honours in second place, but really Karan Toor's name should have been slotted in there. Riley Hawes earned the nod for the FortisBC Energy Player of the Game.

The Spruce Kings will now look to follow this win tonight up with another one Saturday night against a very well rested Chilliwack Chiefs squad. Surprisingly the Chiefs haven't played a game since the double header in Prince George back on September 13th and 14th. The game Saturday night will be the Chiefs home opener and only their fifth game of the season whereas the Spruce Kings will be suiting up for their eighth of the season.

Saturday's game will be the first Prince George Motors Spruce Kings Game of the Month on 99.3 the Drive. Ron St. Clair will have the call of the game with Ron Gallo sliding into the colour commentary role for the big game. The game will also be on Fasthockey.com and the Spruce Kings Mixlr channel.

David vs Goliath

Jesse Jenks posted his first BCHL winning after making
36 saves in the Spruce Kings 4-3 win over Penticton

For the third time in as many games played in the Castle, the Spruce Kings did the improbable and posted a regulation time win over the Penticton Vees. Coming into the game with a perfect record of 4 and 0, the Vees boosted an enviable roster that has NCAA schools chomping at the bit to get players from Penticton into their own stables. But on this night it was the Clydesdales of Prince George that showed their ability to play the game.

Despite some stellar saves from the rookie goaltender, Jesse Jenks and the Spruce Kings found themselves down 1-0 early to the visiting Penticton Vees. After a bit of bad luck bounce that came on the same play that saw Jenks make two great saves, the puck was poked in behind the 18 year old netminder at 6:16 of the first period.

The Spruce Kings mounted their own offensive push after this and with the aid of the BCHL timeout, were able to get their first goal when Jake LeBrun scored his first of three on the night. Following up on a play started by Bryant Christian, LeBrun went hard to the net with his stick on the ice and feathered the puck through a tangle of legs.

With the game tied 1-1, the Spruce Kings went on the powerplay and made short order of their man advantage. With a D-to-D pass, Caleb Thompson fed Christian Weidauer the pass who fired a shot in. Chad Staley was right there to find the big rebound and bury his first of the season to give the Spruce Kings a 2-1 lead late in the first period.

Before the first was over, the Spruce Kings went up two goals with LeBrun’s second off another loose puck in the blue paint that squeaked over the goal line. Weidauer and Christian were given the assists on the play. The goal itself, scored in the last minute of play, was the direct result of the Spruce Kings feeding off the energy created by the fans in attendance.

In the second period, the Penticton Vees made some adjustments that minimized the Spruce Kings shots and chances. A powerplay goal by the visitors made this a one-goal game with the Vees building momentum. A late penalty in the second period, that carried over into the third, saw the Penticton Vees build even more momentum.

Immediately after killing off that penalty, the Spruce Kings found themselves penalized again, but this time it was a five minute major to Cole Todd. To compound the issue, Skylar Pacheco was given a two minute minor giving the Penticton Vees a full two minutes to work with the two man advantage. When it looked like the Spruce Kings were going to kill it off, a long range shot found its way through everybody to tie the game 3-3.

Jake LeBrun would become the hero on the night scoring his third of the game, a powerplay goal at 12:25 of the third that would stand up to be the eventual game winner. LeBrun earned first star honours for his effort and shot up in to the top twenty among League scoring and second in the League for the most goals scored with 6. Jesse Jenks was given second star honours for his stellar play between the pipes and certainly can't be faulted for any of the three goals that did get behind him.

Bryant Christian earned the FortisBC Energy Player of the Game for his consistent play. Missing in the accolades was Christian Weidauer despite setting three of the goals on the night and playing a solid game on the blue line.

The Spruce Kings will now get set to take on the Trail Smoke Eaters Saturday night at 7pm in the Castle.