Exhibition Game #4 - Second Period

Spruce Kings started the second period stronger getting a pair of shots on goal from the grinder line of Colten Derickson, Joe Morgan and RJay Berra. On the next shift, Stewart Lambert, Luke Hannas and Kyle Manlow were able to get some "ohh's" and "ahh's" out of the fans with another two good chances. Kirk Croswell has been doing it all for the Timberwolves early in the second period.

It was over five minutes into the middle frame before Evan Smith had to make a save, thanks in no small part to a very aggressive offensive presence by the Spruce Kings. That presence paid off with not one but two goals just over a minute apart. First up was Wes McLeod who trailed the play and was able to beat the Timberwolves goaltender to the short side of the net. Just over a minute later it was Colten Derickson at the right spot at the right time as the Nick DeSousa rebound came right to him as he stood all alone at the top of the crease and fired the puck into the open net.

A few minutes later it would be RJay Berra with a glorious chance on the two-on-one rush but his one-timer sailed just wide. The Spruce Kings did get a number of chances and finished the period with a total of fourteen shots on Kirk Croswell. At the other end, Evan Smith only faced a total of two shots in the second period and a total of twelve during his time in net that came to an end with the whistle at 11:31. Chris Solecki came in and was immediately tested, but showed no signs of being cold from sitting on the bench. The Timberwolves fired a total of ten shots at Solecki and started showing some signs of frustration.

At 13:54 the expected gunner for the Williams Lake Timberwolves, Trent Murdoch was caught for a cross check by both the referee and Joe Morgan who ended up getting an offsetting roughing minor. With exactly four minutes remaining in the second period, Jeff Earnest got the only other Spruce Kings penalty of the period when his elbow came up on Landon Andrusiak. The official ruled it a check to the head, a minor penalty that also carries with it a ten minute misconduct.

Shots on goal by the Spruce Kings dropped off as the period rolled on, but they did register a total of fourteen in the middle frame and have twenty to start the third period to the Williams Lake Timberwolves twenty-two. The stat that matters though is the score and after fourty minutes that belongs to the Spruce Kings with a 2-0 lead over the visitors.