Record Book Updates

Kirk Thompson (1) makes a spectacular save, one of many
that puts his name in the Spruce Kings record book

While looking at the season stats and comparing them to the Spruce Kings record book, I was pleasantly surprised to see eight players added to the lists. The 40th Anniversary edition of the Prince George Spruce Kings will see Paul De Jersey, Jujhar Khaira, Gerry Fitzgerald, Ben Woodley, Chase Golightly, Ben Matthews, Kirk Thompson and Ty Swabb all added to the record book. De Jersey takes over 5th spot for goals (41) and assists (57) in a single season, he will also take over 2nd spot for single season points (98) and game winning goals (7). Khaira's 50 assists is a 9th best for a single season and brought his two year career total up to 82, good for 8th in that category. Gerry Fitzgerald also gets his name in the record book for game winning goals finishing with six on the season, one behind De Jersey.

On the defensive side of the puck, both Ben Woodley and Chase Golightly saw their career totals put them inside the top ten with points by a defencman. Woodley sits 8th with a career total of 64 in just 74 games over a season and half while Golightly takes over 10th spot with 56 points. Not seen as the offensive defenceman that either of the other two are, Ben Matthews moved in to 8th among defencemen for powerplay goals scored in his Spruce Kings career which was only the one season.

Both goaltenders worked their way in to the record books as well with Kirk Thompson finding himself with the second most career minutes played among all Spruce Kings goaltenders (3899). Thompson's 15 wins this season is one better than Brad Thiessen's 14 wins in 2005-06 and gives him the 6th most career wins with 22 for his time with the Spruce Kings. Perhaps more impressive is that Thompson's career GAA and SV% is good enough to put him in the top ten in both of those career categories for goaltenders. Ty Swabb picked up enough minutes played in just 19 games to have his name show up in the single season category for GAA and SV% along with Thompson.

Amazing Couple of Days

Myles Fitzgerald celebrates his goal against the Vees

Where do you start when there is just so much happening right now?

I'm gonna start with the ending ... the ending of an unbelievable winning streak in front of a packed house of loud and proud fans. It was absolutely amazing to witness first hand the passion of hockey fans in Prince George consuming the Castle on Saturday night. The Penticton Vees brought the absolute best out in the Spruce Kings, their fans and the City of Prince George as a whole.

Leading up to the weekend double header there was an undeniable buzz of people talking about the Spruce Kings. The team and its players were featured on all the media outlets, they were the subject of coffee shop conversation and water cooler banter. The four locations of Save On Foods took so far as to place a friendly wager that the Vees impressive run would end in Prince George. We now know it did of course in dramatic fashion in front of a third consecutive sell out at the Coliseum.

The friendly wager pitted the managers of the Save On Foods in Prince George and Penticton against each other in a believe that their teams could do the unimaginable. For Penticton that would be to set a North American record of 43 consecutive wins and for Prince George the task was to hand the Vees their first loss since November 5th, 2011. The losing managers would have to wear the other team's jersey for the whole week leading up to the playoffs. I'm still waiting for the picture of Rob Holowenko, Save On Foods Penticton manager, in a Spruce Kings jersey.

The games featured every aspect of the game of hockey that makes the sport an endearing one for every hockey fan. The talent and skill of both teams shone brightly throughout the weekend with fans being treated to highlight reel goals, big saves, end to end action and so much more. Heading into the final game of the regular season for both teams, there were three players in a fight to claim the BCHL scoring title. When the dust settled, Paul De Jersey and his three assists was the difference giving the Spruce Kings their first ever Brett Hull Trophy winner. De Jersey finished with a regular season point total of 98 (41 goals, 57 assists).

Three other Spruce Kings finished the season in the scoring race top twenty. Jujhar Khaira claimed 10th spot with 79 points (29 goals, 50 assists). Adding four goals and a pair of assists during the double header moved Michael Colantone up to 14th with 74 points (33 goals, 41 assists). Finishing the season with one more game than everyone else, Jarryd Ten Vaanholt's 14 goals and 12 assists with the Spruce Kings put him in that twentieth spot with a total of 67 points (31 goals, 36 assists). Ben Woodley (5 goals, 42 assists, 47 points) and Chase Golightly (6 goals, 37 assits, 43 points) put the blueliners in the top ten among the League's offensive defencemen. Kirk Thompson and Ty Swabb finished the regular season with identical numbers: 2.83 Goals Against Average and 90.6 Save Percentage, although Thompson played more minutes and appeared in more games than Swabb.

As the team was returning to the ice for some practice time in preparation for the playoffs, the League released its regular season trophy winners. Paul De Jersey was once again in the headlines for being named the winner of the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy as the Interior Division's Most Valuable Player. Still to come from the League is the naming of the All Star Team and the Fortis BC Fan Favourite survey winners.

Spruce Kings Stop The Streak

Tonight, The Spruce Kings did something that hadn't been done since November 5th of last year. That thing, was beat the Penticton Vees. The Spruce Kings came close last night, but ultimately fell short of the bid. Tonight, they would not be denied as they dethroned the Penticton Vees for the first time in 42 games. It was a streak of epic proportions, a streak that may never be matched again in the BCHL, a streak that gave the league so much exposure this season. All good things though, must come to an end as the Prince George Spruce Kings will go down in history as the ones who bumped the streak.

At the start of the broadcast, Todd said the Spruce Kings needed a quick and fast paced start if they wanted to win this hockey game. That is exactly what they did, as just 2 minutes Jarryd Ten Vaanholt scored to send the sold out crowd into a frenzy. Paul De Jersey and Tyson Witala would add assists on the opening tally. 7 minutes later though, the Vees showed why it is imperative that you don't break down defensively against them. Wade Murphy broke in on a two on one opportunity, feeding Curtis Loik to tie the game up. The rest of the period saw both teams trade chances and hits, but the scoreboard sat at 1-1 heading into the intermission.

The Vees came out with a vengeance in the second though, as Bryce Gervais would add his 42nd of the season to give his team their first lead of the hockey game. It took the Spruce Kings a little longer than they had hoped, but Ben Woodley would eventually beat a screened Katunar to once again send the crowd of over 2000 to it's feet. After some more stellar play and saves from both goaltenders, we heard the buzzer sound, and everyone was given a chance to collect their breath. Much like the game the night before, the game was up for grabs after two periods of play.

Although, unless last night, it was the home team who would own the final frame. At the 7:16 mark Myles Fitzgerald would score what turned out to be the eventual game winner. 2 minutes later, Michael Colantone would add an insurance marker on the power play to give everyone in the building hope and a real sense of “could this be happening?!” The answer, was yes as Colantone would add the empty netter to seal the deal. After some brief rough stuff, including a tilt between Sean Landrey and Dexter Dancs, the buzzer sounded and the streak became officially busted.

The win gives Prince George sole possession of 3rd place, meaning they will now battle Merritt in the first round. This win tonight gives the Spruce Kings the best piece of momentum possible to head into the playoffs with. Dropping the Vees at home, in front of a sold out crowd will surely give every player in that dressing room a boost of confidence to move forward with. It will be the first time for most of the players to experience playoff hockey in the BCHL, but they can be sure of one thing, the city of Prince George is fully behind them.

Really quickly, I’d like to give a huge congrats to the Penticton Vees on an amazing season. The run they went on, may never be touched again, and that deserves big praise. They are a talented club who are still the hands down favourite to win it all. Hopefully we'll get the chance to prove ourselves against them in the playoffs later on. What an amazing series that would be.

Awards:

Another big time congrats goes to our very own number 8, Paul De Jersey. With his 3 assists tonight, De Jersey took sole lead of the lead scoring title, and became the first ever Spruce King to win the Brett Hull Trophy. An amazing accomplishment, considering he was a player who had only scored 11 goals in his BCHl career thus far.

To read the full box score of tonight's game, click here

The Three Stars:

3)(PG) Paul De Jersey – 3 Assists

2)(PG) Michael Colantone – 2 Goals 1 Assist

1)(PG) Ty Swabb - 25 Saves and The Win

Next Up:

After that amazing perforate, the Spruce kings will now set their sights on the playoffs and Merritt. The two Interior Conference rivals will start their battle next weekend, Friday and Saturday. Games 3 and 4 will then take place at the Castle the following Monday and Tuesday. If need be, Games 4,5 and 6 will play out on the following Thursday, Friday and Saturday. We'll have tid bits and previews for you all week on the blog. Keep checking our facebook as well, as we get you set for our first playoff run since the 08/09 season

A Great Effort, But Not Enough...

They went toe to toe with the best team in hockey, but couldn't do enough to knock off the beasts. Through two periods they lead, and the crowd was buzzing. The Vees showed why they have been so dominate this season though in the third period, and sent home the crowd of over 2000 home without a win. The game itself, was a miraculous display of hockey, and one that gave the fans their monies worth. It had lots of offense, some great saves and physical play throughout. The game started just as the Prince George faithful had hoped, quick, fast paced and with a home team goal.

Just 5 minutes in, Paul De Jersey moved in short handed and got the crowd on it's feet. It was De Jersey's first goal in 8 games, and you could see the relief on his face. It took Penticton 10 minutes, but they got their first goal of the game on the power play. Minnesota Wild prospect Mario Lucia faked out Ty Swabb and slid one under his pad. Just over a minute later, the Captain of the Vees, Logan Johnston fired home a one timer to stun the crowd. Luckily for the 2100 in attendance, Gerry Fitzgerald only needed 2 minutes to put home an equalizer. It was the triplets 17th goal of the season, and that's where we left off heading into the second period.

We wondered if the Spruce Kings could keep up the intensity they showed in the first period, and our question was answered very quickly. Michael Colantone put home a feed from Jujhar Khaira and Michael Betz at the 1:12 mark to regain the lead. Once again, the Vees would answer, this time much more quickly as Mario Lucia would net his 2nd of the hockey game. Staying with the trend of anything you can do, I can do better, Michael Colantone would score his 2nd of the game just 32 seconds later. We were finally given a chance to breath and collect our thoughts, but only for a limited amount of time. It took exactly 9 minutes, but Mario Lucia would tie the game up with his hat trick goal. And that's when you think, we have to be done right? Wrong! 49 seconds later Myles Fitzgerald snatched back the lead and took it into the intermission with him.

After being given a much deserved 20 minutes to relax, drink some water and regroup, the crazy fast paced play continued. Unfortunately for Coach Dave Dupas, it wasn't his squad who came out firing. The Vees showed why they are the best team in the BCHL as they would score 35 seconds into the period, and then 3 more times to clinch the win. It would turn out to be their 42 straight win, and one that the Spruce Kings may have let slip away. Through two periods, the Spruce Kings matched Penticton in fire power and in physicality. The team stepped up and turned it up each minute. But the third period, the period they needed to be lights out, they fell flat. Chad Katunar fell into a groove and refused to be beaten after 40 minutes. It was a great effort, but ultimately, not enough to dethrone this years Kings of the BCHL. A lot of credit should go to the Spruce Kings as they hung in and went toe to toe with maybe the best team to ever play in the BCHL. Now the task is to find a way to handle and slow down this talented bunch. They will get another chance to knock off the Vees tomorrow night, but they will only finish that task, if they play a full 60 minutes, and never let up. If you give Penticton even the smallest of openings, they will take it and run.

To get the full box score recap, click here

The Three Stars:

3) (PG) Michael Colantone – 2 Goals 1 Assist

2) (PEN) Travis ST. Denis – 1 Goal 3 Assists

1) (PEN) Mario Lucia – 3 Goals 1 Assist

Next Up:

As we said above, these two teams will once again square off tomorrow night. The match up will be the last of the season for both teams, and depending on how the rest of the schedule plays out, could show us a playoff preview. Lots of story lines to watch for as well. Zach Urban and Sean Landrey exchanged more than one word tonight, will that boil over? Paul De Jersey and Joey Benik still sit tied for 1st in points with Mario Lucia coming up the rear, just 2 points behind. Who will win that battle? Paul De Jersey also sits tied for the Goal scoring title with Bryce Gervais. Both players have 41 at the moment, will either man solely come out on top? Plus, can the Spruce Kings bet eh first team since November to stop the Vees? We'll find out these answers and more tomorrow night. Hope to see you at the rink, or we'll chat with you on the broadcast

The Final Two Games....

November 5th, the last time the Vees lost, 3-2 in Overtime against Merritt. November 2nd, the last time the team lost in Regulation. October 8th, the last time the Vees visited the Castle, which turned into a 5-4 double overtime victory for the Spruce Kings. A win that helped propel Prince George towards an incredible run, a run that will eventual see them reach the post season for the first time in 2 years. It’s been a wild season so far, and the regular portion of it is about to come to a close. The final 2 games, both against The Vees, will take place tonight and tomorrow at The Castle.

The Spruce Kings head into this game having just dropped a disappointing loss to the Vernon Vipers. The game was the Spruce Kings third in three days, but it was still an effort that Coach Dupas was not pleased to see. Prince George had a solid February that saw them go 8-2. They started off their March schedule by rattling off 2 wins, but unfortunately strong play by Merritt and Chilliwack makes it imperative that the Spruce Kings get at the very least, 1 point out of this weekends festivities. Chilliwack has three games remaining, and if they get 4 out of a possible 6 points with the Spruce Kings getting none, Prince George will be forced to challenge Penticton in the first round.

The Penticton Vees accomplishments this season have been much talked about. The team has rattled off 41 wins in a row, a Jr. A. Hockey record. Also, they just secured the record for most regular season wins. Add into the fact that they already have 3 NHL draft picks, multiple players who have committed to NCAA college’s, 8 players in the top for scoring and a Goaltender who is playing out of his mind and you can see why this is one of, if not the most talented BCHL team of all time.
Now the Spruce Kings do already own a win over the Vees this season, and it did happen at the Castle. It was a 5-4 win in double overtime as Michael Colantone scored with .2 seconds remaining. It was a win which helped raise the Spruce Kings into the team they are today. The Vees have only dropped 3 games since the loss to the Kings, and surely don’t plan on having a repeat of that October 8th night. These two have met 5 other times, with the Spruce Kings losing all of them. The Vees have out scored the Spruce Kings 29-11 this season.

One battle to watch tonight is that of Paul De Jersey and Joey Benik. The two talented forwards sit tied for 1st in league scoring with 94 points. Also, De Jersey is just 1 goal behind Bryce Gervais in the point standings. Gervais has 41 on the season while De Jersey has 40. Paul has gone 8 games without scoring a goal.

Stat Pack

-Kirk Thompson wins in bunches. Not since the start of the season, has he lost after picking up a win in his previous start.
-Last time these two teams played, Thompson faced 46 shots in the loss (Feb 26)
-Penticton is the only Interior conference team that Kirk Thompson hasn't beaten.
-Ty Swabb has only played Penticton once this year, a 30 save loss back in January.
-Ryan Reilly, Joey Benik, Steven Fogarty and Cody Depourcq are the only Vees who have played every game this season
-Michael Garteig has 41 wins this season, 11 more than the man who sits in 2nd place, Andrew Hunt. He has the best GAA, the best SP and the most shutouts with 5
-Only 5 Vees sit without scholarships at the moment

Game Time

Puck drops on tonight's contest at 7pm down at the Coliseum. We hope to see you in attendance for the final regular season games of the year. Be sure to make lots of noise tonight Spruce Kings fans!!!

A Statement, Now They Need Another One...

Last night was quite the night for the Spruce Kings, as they defeated their Interior Rivals Vernon 7-2. It was a game that was so lop-sided due to a 4 goal onslaught in the second period. It was a game that showed jut how dangerous the Spruce King can be when they are on. It was a game that could go a long way towards helping them get back into the post season. The Spruce Kings came into this match up 4 points ahead of the Vipers. They had just beaten the Vipers a few weeks earlier, and needed to make a statement in front of the Prince George Faithful.

They started the contest exactly how you would hope if you were Coach Dave Dupas. The Spruce Kings took advantage of a defensive break down on the Vipers part as Tyson Witala put home a Cody Bardock rebound. It was long after though that Ben Matthews took a penalty that would cost his team their first lead. Vernon has the 3rd ranked power play in the league, and it showed as Patrick Macgillis scored 12 seconds in to tie the game up.

The second period was the breakout frame for the Spruce Kings, and as Todd and myself said in the broadcast, maybe the best second period this team has played all season. Jujhar Khiara scored 39 seconds in to light the crowd up. Jarryd Ten Vaanholt, Paul De Jersey and Zach Rassell would all adds goals in the 2nd to take complete control o fthe hockey game. The period was a fast and furious one, but it was a definite statement from a team that was looking to prove that they desereved to be where they are.

The third period saw the Vipers add a goal from Ben Gamache, but it was sandwiched in between Gerry Fitzgerald's 1st of the game and Khaira's 2nd. Ty Swabb would skate away with the win, making 33 saves in the victory.

A couple of key thoughts that I took away from this game. Sean Landrey has really found his stride with the Spruce Kings. The youngster struggled a bit out of the gate this season, but he has found a way to use his size in a postive and violent manner. Landrey has dropped the mitts and thrown his weight around quite a bit in the past few games, and it has worked well for the Prince George native. The Fitzgerald's didn't play one shift together tonight as Coach Dupas had they split up with a different variety of lines all night. Nobody is sure if this is going to be a recurring thing, but it seemed to work for tonight. And, Paul De Jersey and Jujhar Khaira continued to have success against the Vernon Vipers. Through 5 games against the Vipers, De Jersey has 6 goals and 6 assists while Khaira has 4 goals and 6 assists.

To read the full box score, click here

Next Up:

These two teams will reunite this afternoon at the Castle for another tilt. The Spruce Kings need to build off of last night's win and continue to push Chilliwack below them in the standings. Last weekend we saw they squander a chance to send Chilliwack home with 2 losses and they can let the same thing happen today. Puck drops at the Prince George Coliseum today at 3pm. If you cannot make it to the rink, you catch the game here

Go Spruce Kings!!!

2011 Ends With a Bang

The Spruce Kings came into tonight;s match up on a high note, having dumped another division rival just two nights before. Trail came into this match up fresh off the Christmas break, and it showed on the ice through out the first 40 minutes. There was one man who brought his “A” game the entire game, and that was Smokies goaltender Lyndon Standwood. Stanwood many miraculous saves throughout the game, and really was the only reason the Spruce Kings didn't run the score u into the double digits.

The first period alone he faced 14 shots, saving all but one as Michael Colantone got his 4th goal in the past two games. The goal came on a back door feed, one that was made by Jujhar Khaira, but not before Stanwood stoned them on the exact same play minutes earlier. The Spruce Kings continued to fire pucks on the Smokies goaltender throughout the period, many of them quality chances. Ty Swabb was not tested on much on the other hand, having to stop 7 shots.

The Second Period is where the Spruce Kings broke the play wide open, and were finally able to solve Stanwood more than once. Prince George was robbed on multiple occasions in the second, but Leo Fitzgerald made it 2-0, firing home a cross ice pass from his brother Myles. Chase Golightly would add a third marker, a shot that eventually went in off the body of a Smoke Eater. Stanwood faced another 13 shots in the period, but once again, he made a handful of saves that could make any highlight real.

The third period started off with a bang for Trail, as former Spruce King Connor Tiechko put a bouncing puck past Ty Swabb to end his shutout bid. It was a goal that seemed to spark the Smoke Eaters as Brent Baltus scored his 5th of the season, bringing his team within one. The Smokies had new life, and they were pressing hard to tie the game up. The Spruce Kings were back on their heels, and needed to find a way to get another puck past Stanwood quickly before the momentum completely shifted. It would take 8 minutes, but finally Prince George's top line was able to put the icing on the cake as Paul De Jersey scored his 27th of the season. Jujhar Khaira would add a fifth insurance marker, one that ultimately wouldn't be needed as the Smoke Eaters wouldn't score again, giving the Spruce Kings a 5-2 win

The win gives Prince George 39 points through 35 games, helping them keep their fourth place spot in the Interior Conference standings. Vernon won tonight as well, meaning they still sit in fifth place, 2 points behind the Spruce Kings

Click here to view the entire league standings

Click here to view tonight's box score

The Three Stars:

3)(PG)Chase Golightly – 1 Goal 1 Assist
2)(PG)Jujhar Khaira – 1 Goal 2 Assists
1)(TRL)Lyndon Stanwood – 43 Saves

Next Up:

The Spruce Kings now have a 5 day break and will next suit up Thursday January 5th and 6th at the Castle against Westside. Until then, we hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year celebration

They're Back!!!

To quote Whitesnake, Here we go again! The BCHL season is back underway after the players were given a break to be with family during the Christmas Holiday's. Now, the second half of the season begins, and every game becomes so much more important than before. The Spruce Kings come into tonight's match up tied for fourth in the Interior Conference, but they have played two more games than Vernon, who have 35 points this season. The team sitting in third place, is the team they will face tonight. A win, and they move within a couple points and continue to stay in the race for the playoffs. A loss, and they'll start to dig themselves into a hole that may become to much to overcome. Still lots of hockey left to be played, but these are games you must win. So let's preview the match up between the Chilling Chiefs and your Prince George Spruce Kings

The Break Down:

These two squads have battle three times this season, with every game being decided by just one goal. The last meeting was just two weeks ago, a game that was won by Prince George 3-2 in overtime. It was the first win this season over the Chiefs, and helped capture some momentum they hope to use in tonight's contest. The first two games were just as close as the third, but it was the Chiefs who got the lucky bounces and skated away with the wins. The games have all been evenly matched, and you can bet that tonight will be no different.

Kirk Thompson got the start in the first two games, but it was the Spruce Kings new goaltender who captured the teams first win over the Chiefs. Ty Swabb made 39 saves on December 16th behind Jujhar Khaira's 3 point effort and Gerry Fitzgerald's Overtime snipe helped lead the team to victory. You can bet they'll need the same type of effort tonight to get their second win in a row over Chilliwack.

The Stats:

After the first half of the season behind us, let's take a look back at who has helped their respective teams get where they are so far.

Paul De Jersey has had a break out season, potting 26 goals with 31 assists, good enough for 4th in league scoring. His line mates Jujhar Khaira and Michael Colantone currently sit in 13th and 14th respectively as these three are recognized as one of the top lines in the league.

The Chilliwack Chiefs have just one man in the top 20 so far, as Derek Huisman has 18 goals with 39 points. They do however have two other players who currently sit above the 1 point per game average. It should also be noted that the Chiefs have one of the top goaltenders in the league this year statistics wise. Rookie Mitch Gillam sits in 6th for wins, 8th in GAA and 6th in save percentage. Look for Gillam to get the start tonight after the extended break.

Game Time:

The pucks drops tonight at the Prospera Centre at 7:00pm. You can watch the game live with the BCHL webcast here. Don't forget that the Spruce Kings will have their next home game this Friday at 7:00pm as they will take on the Trail Smoke Eaters. Go Spruce Kings

Game Two of Three in a Row

The Spruce Kings are starting a three week road swing tonight, and they are doing so in Westside. These two teams battled last weekend in a back to back series at the Castle. Each team came away with a “W”, but the Warriors still hold the lead in the season series 2-1. The Spruce Kings will play their second game in as many nights, and will also have to remember they'll have an even quicker turn around tomorrow afternoon. But let's focus on the game at hand and preview what is another important match up with an Interior Conference rival. It's the Westside Warriors hosting your Prince George Spruce Kings:

The Set Up:

As mentioned, these two have battle three times this season, two of them being last weekend, and one being back in October. That game back near the start of the season happened in Westside as the Warriors skated to a 6-2 victory over the Spruce Kings. Marcus Beesley got the start in goal, as Paul De Jersey and Leo Fitzgerald were the only goal scorers for Prince George. The Warriors powered their victory off of 2 goals scored in each of the three periods. Tyler Krause scored a couple as did Richard Vanderhoek, and that was enough to send Prince George home wondering what happened. Last weekends set of games saw each team win by just a goal. Both games were physical and close, and I’d expect more of the same tonight.

The Spruce Kings need to start stringing wins together here in December as teams like Merritt and Chilliwack are pulling away form the pack and making the battle for fourth place a close one. Vernon currently sits in fourth place with 31 points. Prince George sits in 5th with 28 points while Salmon Arm and Westside are in 6th and 7th with 25 points. The Spruce Kings have been on the wrong side of too many 1 goal losses, and soon, it's going to come back to haunt them. A win tonight, and they'll continue to keep Westside in the bottom of the pack while bringing themselves closer to catching Vernon

Last Night:

Both teams played last night, both being homes games. As you know, the Spruce Kings dropped a 4-3 decision to the Centennials. Ty Swabb got the start in net again, making 24 saves for his first loss. It's not known if he will be getting the start tonight or not. Westside was able to control the Vernon Vipers throughout their contest, and sent them home after beating them 5-2. Connor Dempsey scored twice to receive first star honors as Dwayne Rodrigue picked up the win. Chances are, Rodrigue will see action once again tonight against Prince George

Game Time:

The puck will drop at Royal Lepage place at 7pm tonight. To watch the web cast of tonight's contest, click here

Another Battle With The Centennials

Prince George is getting set to host the Centennials yet again tonight. It is quickly becoming the Spruce Kings biggest in division rivalry, thanks in large part due to the fact that these two have already squared off six times this season. The two squads have each won three games, but tonight, one team will look to grab hold of the lead in the season series. The games have all been competitive and fast paced, and we really shouldn’t expect anything less tonight. So let’s preview the seventh game between the Merritt Centennials and your Prince George Spruce Kings:

The Break Down:

These two squads know each other quite well, having played multiple times this season. They started off their seasons against one another in a back to back weekend at the Coliseum. The Spruce Kings won both of those games, but only were able to take one out of the next four match ups. The most recent time fans have been able to see these two play, was the BCHL celebration weekend, where the Centennials beat PG at home, then took them out in Overtime in their own home barn. It was a couple of games that showcased the physical dislike these two teams have for one another. IN the new BCHL, with the new playoff format, every night and every point becomes that much more important. Only four teams will play more than 60 games, and right now only Merritt would make it if the season ended today. Divisional games have never been more important than they are this year, and with the series tied at three games a piece, you can bet that both coaches have prepped their boys for an all out war tonight.

Although Prince George hasn’t faired as well against Merritt as they did at start of the season, they do have one big thing on their side tonight, their fans! The Spruce Kings are tied for the second most home wins in the BCHL. Home ice advantage is always nice, and the boys have definitely benefited from having the Prince George faithfully chant their names this season. On the other side Merritt has battled this season on the road, and they come into the Castle sporting a 6-6 -2-1 record. Though it should be added again, the last time these two battled in Prince George, Merritt was able to skate away with the “W”.

Who’s Hot:

The Spruce Kings top line of Jujhar Khaira, Paul De Jersey and Michael Colantone continues to impress and put up points. Shutting these three down becomes essential for any team that plays Prince George. The Spruce Kings two newest players come into tonight’s contest having impressed last weekend. Michael Betz scored his first as a King, and had a stellar night on the ice. Ty Swabb also recorded his first win as a Spruce Kings last Sunday, and will likely look to carry that momentum into tonight.

Also earlier this week a couple of Centennials and Spruce King players made the NHL draft watch list. Prince George forward Jujhar Khaira and Merritt defenseman Reece Wilcox made the list along with six other BCHLers. A big congrats goes to all the boys as they look to be drafted this season

Game Time:

Tonight’s match up will have the usual start time of 7pm at the Coliseum. It’s also the “Drop your gloves and sock it to em” night at the Castle. Bring some new gloves, socks, toques etc in a bag, and when the Spruce kings score their first goal, toss the bags onto the ice. Hope to see you at the rink, go Spruce Kings

The Spruce Kings Entertain the Warriors of Westside

The Spruce Kings will look to get back into the win column as they host the Westside Warriors tonight and tomorrow afternoon. Prince George enters tonight's contest having dropped their last three games, all to division rivals. All three have been decided by just a goal, but you can bet that that isn't a good consolation prize for the Spruce Kings players and coaches. Tonight will feature the first time the Westside Warriors have been in Prince George since the pre season. It's a big 4 points for both teams, so let's preview the match up to see who has the upper hand on paper:

The Breakdown:

The Westide Warriors came out of the gates flying to start the season, winning their first five games. But November was a much more cruel beast to the Warriors of Westside. They only managed to win one game in November, while losing eight. December hasn't started out any better for the Warriors, as they dropped a 7-2 decision to the Penticton Vees last night. There is a big upside for the Warriors though, as they have a few high flying players returning to the line up for them in Max French and Brennan Clark. Plus with the addition of former Vernon Viper Marcus Barasa, the Warriors are poised to return to the win column, and should not be looked at as a team that comes in having lost nine of their past ten. As we know all to well, momentum is everything in hockey, and if the Spruce Kings let Westisde run out of here with 4 points, it could wake up a very dangerous beast.

As mentioned, the Spruce Kings have lost three in a row heading into tonight. The losing streak did come off the back end of a four game winning streak, but in the competitive Interior Conference and with the new playoff format, losing three games to division rivals just can't happen. The Spruce Kings would love to be able to help put the Warriors deeper in the standings this weekend. The two teams are separated by 6 points, meaning if Westside can come away with 2 wins this weekend, it will go a long way in helping them vault back into the 4th playoff spot. But, on the other side of things, If Prince George can take down the Warriors on both Saturday and Sunday, it would go a long way in helping push Westside even further beneath them.

This Season:

These two teams have met just once this year in the regular season, a 6-2 win for Westside at home. They still have 6 meetings this season to decide who is the better of the two, with three of them happening in December. It should be noted that they did also meet in pre season action back in September, Westside won that contest as well, 3-1.

New Faces:

The Spruce Kings have added a few new faces to their roster this week. Former AJHL goaltender Ty Swabb was picked up by the team via trade that saw Stefan Bazar head to the St. Albert Steel. Also coming to the Spruce Kings organization, the hulking forward Michael Betz. Betz is a 6'2 forward who has spent time in the BCHL with the Trail Smoke Eaters and the Penticton Vees. Unfortunately while adding players, Prince George had to let a few move on to make some room for the new guys. As it has been stated, the organization and it's fans would like to thank Spencer and Scott Mchaffie, Stefan Bazar and Marcus Beesley who all were reassigned or traded this past week.

Game Time:

The puck will drop on tonight's contest at 7pm at the Castle. Then tomorrow, these two teams will go at it again, this time with an afternoon start of 3pm. Both games will be broadcast on the live web cast here. You can also listen to the FREE audio broadcast of the games here

Go Spruce Kings