Pregame ...
Although these two teams played each other just last week, this is the first time in two years that Prince George fans will get to see the Nanaimo Clippers. Last season saw the league test a half-interlock schedule that saw teams visit only half of the rinks outside their conference and host the other half. The Spruce Kings were in Nanaimo on Wednesday January 27 in a game that saw Prince George claim only their second point ever against the Coastal Conference rival.
On the strength of two goals by Joe Morgan and another by Nick DeSousa, all three of which were setup by sam Muchalla, the Spruce Kings spotted themselves a 3-1 lead in the third period of play. As the game progressed a pinball shot found its way into the net to make it a one-goal game and then a seeing eye shot from the high slot tied it up to force overtime. It was the second consecutive game between these two teams that has required extra time: unlike the previous season where it ended in a 2-2 tie, the Clippers completed the come-from-behind victory with a goal in double overtime.
Two seasons ago it was another close game between the Clippers and the Spruce Kings with Nanaimo squeaking out a narrow 3-2 victory. The last time the spruce Kings beat the Clippers was in the RBC Royal Bank Cup year and a game that was played in the CN Centre in front of 2,286 fans. That game also required extra time and it was Prince George coming away with the 4-3 overtime victory. In the past three seasons, all but one game have been decided by a single shot and tonight should be just as entertaining with the Clippers coming off a 4-3 regulation time win over the Quesnel Millionaires on Wednesday night.
On that same night, the Spruce Kings picked up their second consecutive win on home ice in a 6-2 victory over the Williams Lake Timberwolves. The win moved Prince George to within a game of the last playoff spot in the Interior Conference. The seventh and final playoff spot is currently occupied by the Trail Smoke Eaters who have two games in hand on the Spruce Kings. The Smoke Eaters are hosting the Salmon Arm Silverbacks tonight and the Alberni Valley Bulldogs tomorrow night and then they will host both the Penticton Vees and Westside Warriors to make up those two games in hand.
The playoff race has provided a rollercoaster ride of emotions for players, coaches and fans who have seen some lopsided wins and dissappointing losses. Now with the recent wins over Williams Lake and Merritt as well as the single point against the Nanaimo Clippers last week, the Spruce Kings dressing room is once again full of confidence and enthusiasm. Look for the same lineup tonight as Wednesday night with the top line featuring Sam Muchalla, Zac Rasmussen and RJay Berra; the trio combined for 4 goals and 5 asssits and were a combined plus 12 in the game.
Lyndon Martell and Joe Morgan were both 1-1 while Jesse Scrimbit helped out with a pair of assists, Jeff Datoff one assist and Nick DeSousa also picked up a helper. Andrew Walsh, who earned his 13th win of the season stopping 18 of 20 shots, is expected to get the start in goal again tonight. Both of the APs from Wednesday will also be dressed again tonight with Tyson McCallum wearing jersey #6 and Dylan Richardson #12. In his first game with the Spruce Kings, Richardson was solid creating a number of turnovers in the offensive zone and leveling out a few big hits, one of which led to a fight at centre ice in the second period.
Should be an interesting game tonight as both teams are looking to keep recent turn-arounds going in their favour. Game time tonight is 7:00 with a pregame show at 6:40pm starting off the live broadcast from the Coliseum. Aaron Dubois and Todd Doherty will provide the call of the game on 93.1 CFIS-FM and also online from the Spruce Kings website and the pay-per-view broadcast on the BCHL Fanzone. Questions and comments can be sent to Ron Gallo by clicking on the "comments" link below.
Rosters ...
Nanaimo Clippers
3 Tyler Mah (D 6'03" 210 6/01/90 Burnaby, BC, CAN) (GP 43 G 4 A 9 Pts 13 67 PIMs)
4 Nick Bell (D 6'00" 200 3/27/91 Nanoose Bay, BC, CAN) (GP 38 G 0 A 7 Pts 7 59 PIMs)
5 Nicholas McIntyre (D 6'00" 195 3/25/90 Dollard Des Ormeaux, PQ, CAN) (GP 51 G 7 A 13 Pts 20 26 PIMs)
7 Keifer McNaughton (D 6'03" 205 8/25/93 North Vancouver, BC, CAN) (GP 20 G 3 A 2 Pts 5 33 PIMs)
8 Victor Newell (D 5'10" 170 2/23/93 Burnaby, BC, CAN) (GP 48 G 7 A 25 Pts 32 43 PIMs)
9 Andrew Gladiuk (F 6'01" 180 3/07/91 Surrey, BC, CAN) (GP 54 G 16 A 22 Pts 38 18 PIMs)
10 Brett Hartskamp (F 5'11" 190 5/16/92 Port Coquitlam, BC, CAN) (GP 2 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 00 PIMs)
11 Colton Cyr (F 5'11" 175 9/13/91 Nanaimo, BC, CAN) (GP 54 G 15 A 11 Pts 26 49 PIMs)
15 Kyle Weber (D 6'00" 185 7/13/90 Fraser Lake, BC, CAN) (GP 48 G 1 A 7 Pts 8 60 PIMs)
16 Carson Schell (F 5'11" 192 1/01/89 Saskatoon, SK, CAN) (GP 54 G 6 A 26 Pts 32 101 PIMs)
18 Luc Olivier Blain (F 6'03" 195 11/16/89 Longueuil, PQ, CAN) (GP 52 G 26 A 28 Pts 54 64 PIMs)
19 Cody Bremner (F 6'01" 181 6/05/90 Victoria, BC, CAN) (GP 49 G 25 A 24 Pts 49 44 PIMs)
21 Ty Morton (D 6'00" 188 2/20/91 Port Hardy, BC, CAN) (GP 37 G 0 A 3 Pts 3 16 PIMs)
22 Kyle Kramer (F 5'11" 170 4/15/92 Qualicum Beach, BC, CAN) (GP 50 G 11 A 9 Pts 20 72 PIMs)
23 Brayden Jaw (F 6'01" 188 4/24/92 Vancouver, BC, CAN) (GP 52 G 8 A 17 Pts 25 39 PIMs)
24 Tristan Lowenberger (F 6'00" 175 5/15/92 Coquitlam, BC, CAN) (GP 47 G 2 A 13 Pts 15 46 PIMs)
27 Mike Domsodi (F 6'03" 215 5/09/90 Kirkland, ON, CAN) (GP 51 G 4 A 16 Pts 20 25 PIMs)
30 Loic Boivin (G 6'00" 190 6/10/90 McMasterville, PQ, CAN) (GP 38 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 06 PIMs)
41 Rhys Hadfield (G 6'00" 175 7/21/91 Edmonton, AB, CAN) (GP 11 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 00 PIMs)
61 Teal Burns (F 5'11" 190 10/10/92 Victoria, BC, CAN) (GP 49 G 19 A 30 Pts 49 76 PIMs)
Prince George Spruce Kings
4 Reid Blinkhorn (D 5'11" 170 12/23/91 Winfield, BC, CAN) (GP 7 G 1 A 0 Pts 1 11 PIMs)
5 Justin Fillion (D 5'11" 175 4/23/90 Prince George, BC, CAN) (GP 53 G 6 A 33 Pts 39 81 PIMs)
6 Tyson McCallum (F 6'04" 170 6/21/93 Prince George, BC, CAN) (GP 2 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 00 PIMs)
7 Jesse Scrimbit (D 6'01" 180 12/19/90 Sicamous, BC, CAN) (GP 48 G 0 A 7 Pts 7 38 PIMs)
8 Jonathan Gibson (D 6'01" 205 2/01/90 Prince George, BC, CAN) (GP 49 G 5 A 5 Pts 10 47 PIMs)
9 Nick DeSousa (F 6'00" 180 11/13/90 Fraser Lake, BC, CAN) (GP 49 G 21 A 17 Pts 38 33 PIMs)
10 Brad Bourke (D 6'01" 175 4/21/89 Onoway, AB, CAN) (GP 49 G 7 A 24 Pts 31 55 PIMs)
11 Kyle Manlow (F 5'10" 165 6/28/91 Murrieta, CA, USA) (GP 51 G 5 A 3 Pts 8 21 PIMs)
12 Dylan Richardson (F 5'11" 170 7/16/92 Williams Lake, BC, CAN) (GP 1 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 05 PIMs)
14 Lyndon Martell (F 6'01" 190 1/13/93 Prince George, BC, CAN) (GP 37 G 13 A 15 Pts 28 10 PIMs)
16 Jeff Earnest (F 5'10" 175 2/08/91 Anchorage, AK, USA) (GP 45 G 10 A 12 Pts 22 60 PIMs)
19 Joe Morgan (F 5'08" 180 4/07/89 Kitimat, BC, CAN) (GP 41 G 14 A 23 Pts 37 24 PIMs)
20 Jeff Datoff (D 5'10" 160 5/26/92 Nanaimo, BC, CAN) (GP 38 G 0 A 5 Pts 5 13 PIMs)
21 Stewart Lambert (F 6'00" 175 4/05/90 Prince George, BC, CAN) (GP 31 G 2 A 1 Pts 3 09 PIMs)
22 Jeremy Wiebe (F 6'00" 180 7/20/91 Vernon, BC, CAN) (GP 45 G 1 A 1 Pts 2 101 PIMs)
23 RJay Berra (F 6'00" 180 7/26/90 Prince George, BC, CAN) (GP 53 G 12 A 16 Pts 28 13 PIMs)
25 Zac Rasmussen (F 5'09" 178 5/08/89 Kamloops, BC, CAN) (GP 49 G 18 A 23 Pts 41 105 PIMs)
26 Sam Muchalla (F 5'08" 150 8/14/90 Prince George, BC, CAN) (GP 51 G 27 A 44 Pts 71 61 PIMs)
30 Andrew Walsh (G 6'02" 185 12/15/90 Dawson Creek, BC, CAN) (GP 35 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 24 PIMs)
35 Kyle Nielsen (G 5'10" 170 7/21/90 New Westminster, BC, CAN) (GP 23 G 0 A 0 Pts 0 02 PIMs)
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