Game Preview: vs Cowichan Valley Capitals

Coltyn Hansen (10) and the Spruce Kings will be
looking to start December off the right way

The Prince George Spruce Kings start the month of December with the first of two three game weekends. Tonight it is the Cowichan Valley Capitals in the Castle followed by a double header against the Coquitlam Express on Saturday and Sunday. These will be the final games before the Christmas break on home ice.

The unknown Capitals come in after arriving in Prince George on Thursday night to get acclimated with the area. The Capitals last time in the Northern Capital was December 3rd, 2010 when they came from behind in the third period to win the game 4-3.

Although the team itself hasn’t been in Prince George in over two years, there are a few players on the team that know what it’s like to live and play hockey in the great white north. Luke Gordon from Terrace has played for the Cariboo Cougars as has Hayden-James Berra who is from Prince George and is expecting a big cheering section in the Coliseum.

Berra, who played one game for the Spruce Kings as an affiliate player last season, is expected to dress for the first time since injuring a finger during a team practice. In 18 games with the Capitals this season, Berra has found the net twice and helped to set up two others. Max Mois is another player from Prince George that has drawn into the Capitals lineup as an affiliate player tonight to fill a vacancy from injuries and scratches.

Two of the top four Capitals are injured and will be unavailable tonight. Mikael Jung is the team’s top point getter with 11 goals and 8 assists in 24 games but was injured in the game last weekend against the Victoria Grizzlies. Kelyer Bruce is fourth with 16 points (6G, 10A) but will be serving the first of a two game suspension for a blow to the head penalty in that same game against the Grizzlies.

The Spruce Kings will be without Lyndon Martell tonight who is out with an upper body injury after a collision during practice. Jace Hennig will be in the lineup for his first game with the Spruce Kings after missing the first four with his new team. Also back in the lineup tonight is Justin Rai who missed almost the entire month of November.

Tonight's game is a 7pm start in the Coliseum with the game broadcast on 93.1 CFIS-FM. It can also be heard online with the free audio broadcast on CFISFM.com and the pay-per-view broadcast on FASTHOCKEY.com.