A Trio of Alumni in the NCAA Frozen Four

Zach Davies (3) playing in his final year of college hockey
is heading to the NCAA Frozen Four Tournament

Getting through to the Frozen Four is the dream of every college hockey player and it is being shared by a trio of Spruce Kings alumni this year. Zach Davies, Brooks Robinson and Michael Colantone have all wore the Crown and represented Prince George in recent years and have since moved on to further their hockey careers in the NCAA.

Zach Davies first came to the Spruce Kings as an 18 year old with hopes of lighting it up as a forward in 2006. The coaching staff saw something more in Davies and worked with him on his defensive game putting him on the blue line where things just seemed to fit more naturally.

In his rookie season, Davies put up some numbers as he transitioned from forward to defence, but it was the increase in ice time that really showed off the player that was waiting to emerge. Davies was effective as a stay-at-home defenceman and started an iron man streak that lasted 148 games until he graduated from the Spruce Kings. In three seasons, he missed out on only six games and all of those were in his rookie season.

Showing just how effective he was from the back end, Davies went from a rookie season with 17 points (3G, 14A) to double that the following year with 11 goals and 22 assists. In his third season he increased those totals again to 16 goals and 34 assists for a 50 point year and a career total of 100 points (30G, 70A) in 174 games.

His defensive style caught the attention of the scouts from Quinnipiac and, as they say, the rest is history. What a history it has been for Zach Davies who is having a career year that has been capped off so far with the ECAC Defensive Defenceman Player of the Year Award.

"That was actually a bit of a surprise to me," said Zach Davies in a phone interview from Hamden Connecticut. "I didn't really expect it but it was nice to be noticed. I got a bit more attention from it that's for sure."

"I thought there was some bigger name defenceman and draft picks that more people were looking at," explained Davies. "Danny Biega from Harvard and George Hughes from Saint Lawrence would have been my picks for that award."

Defence is a big part of the College game and Davies shared a little insight on what up and coming players should be concentrating on.

"In college if you don't learn how to play defence you often don't play that much," advised Davies. "I'd say most college players are very sound defensively which is why the NHL is taking interest in so many of the players. They don't have to teach them that part of the game and that makes college players more ready for the NHL."

Great advice and an interesting perspective from the defencive defenceman of the year. We got see those attributes about the player first hand in Prince George and today Zach Davies still recalls fondly his three years with the Spruce Kings.

"I definitely developed a lot as a player in Prince George," recalls Davies. "I played a lot of minutes with the Spruce Kings. I wish we could have done more in those three years but I had fun there."

Four years later, Davies is looking at the end of his college career but not before getting the chance to do something every college hockey player dreams of doing. For the first time in their history, the Quinnipiac Bobcats are into the NCAA Frozen Four with the prospect of being two wins away from a National Championship.

"Obviously this is the highlight of my career here," said Zach Davies about his time with the Bobcats. "It's a highlight for the program. This is the first time (the Quinnipiac Bobcats) have made it to the Frozen Four. Those two games we won were the first wins ever in the National Tournament."

Inexperience at the Frozen Four is a common theme this year with three of the four teams being first timers on the national stage. The Yale Bulldogs last appearance was in 1952, long before it was known as the Frozen Four. The St. Cloud State Huskies and UMass Lowell River Hawks are the other two teams entering the tournament for the first time.

"I'm sure for all people involved, that will be the largest crowd we have ever played in front of," said Davies of playing in the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh and home of the NHL Penguins. "It's sold out already, so that's 19 to 20,000 people which probably make you a little more nervous than the average game."

The Quinnipiac Bobcats will get the prime time slot of 8:00pm EST for their semi-final matchup against the St. Cloud State Huskies. Although there are no Spruce Kings alumni on the Huskies, that is the former team of both Jordy Christian and Nicholas Rioux.

"They'll be good, there's no question about it," said Davies of the Bobcats first opponent at the Frozen Four. "I think it is a good matchup for us. We'll be ready."

The Bobcats go into the Frozen Four as the number one ranked team thanks to their 18-0-3 run through the middle part of the regular season. To get to the final weekend, the Bobcats defeated Canisius Golden Griffins 4-3 in a come-from-behind nail biter and then followed that up with a 5-1 trouncing of the Union Dutchmen.

"I don't think the rankings will have much to do with it," added Davies. "By the time you get here everybody's a good team. We're just working on our game, fixing little things and trying to improve so that we can give ourselves the best chance to win."

Michael Colantone (24) in his first year of college hockey
is living a dream season heading to the NCAA Frozen Four

In the other semi-final that will get started at 1:30pm in the Pacific time zone, Michael Colantone and the UMass Lowell River Hawks will be in a dog fight with the Yale Bulldogs.

Colantone played one season with the Spruce Kings after being acquired from the Victoria Grizzlies just two games into the 2011-12 season. Colantone came in and immediately found a spot for himself on the top line alongside Paul de Jersey (the BCHL scoring leader for that season) and Jujhar Khaira (highest drafted BCHL player in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft).

The trio lit up the scoreboard to the tune of 251 points with Michael Colantone finishing in the league's top fifteen (33G, 41A). His play earned him a scholarship to the UMass Lowell River Hawks and now in his first year of college hockey finds himself in the Frozen Four.

"It's been good with both the school and the hockey," said Michael Colantone over the phone from Lowell Massachusetts. "I'm maintaining a 3.5 GPA and things are very good right now with the hockey. This is the first time the school has ever made it to the Frozen Four. It was also the first time we've ever won the Hockey East Championship."

A world away from his junior hockey days, Colantone sees all of the extra attention that the team and its players are getting making them feel like celebrities. Balancing all of that with the task at hand of preparing to play in the National Championship is no easy task and isn't being taken lightly by the team either who have requested that all interviews be approved in advance.

The River Hawks will have to play the first semi-game against a team that has been to the final four before; although that was many years ago. The Yale Bulldogs are a bit of an unknown for the River Hawks as the two teams have not played each other this season.

"They play in a different conference," explains Colantone. "We don't really know much about them. We know that they're a good team, but we also know that we're a good team and we have faith in ourselves. We're looking at going there to win."

"This is an awesome opportunity," said Colantone of being able to play in a NHL arena. "Playing at a pro rink just makes it that much better. When we played at the TD Gardens there was something like 14,000 fans which was just incredible."

Playing in his first year of college hockey, it is not certain just how much ice time Michael Colantone will get if any but being along for the ride is just as important for him as it is with any player on the team. In his freshman year, Colantone played in 18 regular season games scoring five goals including three game winners.

"Personally this is great, I never expected this right away coming in," said Colantone. "We've had an excellent year, it's definitely been a great ride and I've learned a lot. Hopefully we can finish out with a national championship and achieve everything there is to achieve."

The Frozen Four gets started on Thursday April 11 with Michael Colantone and the UMass Lowell River Hawks facing the Yale Bulldogs followed by Zach Davies and the Quinnipiac Bobcats facing the St. Cloud State Huskies. The winners of those two games will meet for the National Championship on Sunday April 13th at 4:00pm Pacific.

A Tough End, But What a Ride!!

Leo Fitzgerald scored a short handed goal

It was a tough way to end a magical run, but alas, the season has come to a close. They fought hard through 4 games, but couldn't come away with the much needed “W”. Tonight's contest had it's moments, but when the horn sounded, the better team was moving on. The game featured many wild sequences, most not in favour of the home team, with the 2nd period featuring an all out circus. But, let's start with the first, a period that was mainly dominated by the Centennials.

Once again, the Centennials opened up the scoring, but this time it took them over 18 minutes to find the back of the net. The goal came on the power play, by who else than the Spruce Kings killer in the series, Evan Stack. The Centennials forward scored the overtime winner the night before and had already potted a game winner earlier in the series. The goal was the only one in the first period, with the shots all tied at 10. Merritt did out chance the Spruce Kings in the period, and were really taking it to the home team. Prince George came out a little tentative, and it showed.

The second period is where things really started to unravel for Prince George. Leo Fitzgerald scored a short handed marker half way through the 2nd to tie the game up and send the fans into a frenzy. It didn't last long though as a weird transition saw Tyson Witala get hauled down going after yet another short handed breakaway. Shortly after Jarryd Ten Vaanholt dropped to the ice after taking a knee on knee hit, which then lead to Merritt breaking in on a 3 on 1 and scoring their second power play goal of the game. Chad Brears would get the goal, but the whole scenario took only 10 seconds, and left the fans furious. The crowd rained down boos, chanting “NO GOAL” over and over, which obviously fell to deaf ears. From a broadcasting stand point, I agreed with them. Tyson Witala was clearly interfered with on his way to the puck. I understand letting teams decide the game in playoffs, but that's not what happened. The non call and subsequent goal changed the tempo of the game, and took away any momentum that Prince George had gathered with the short handed marker.

After all of this, Paul De Jersey ended up losing his cool, cross checking Brent Fletcher in the chops behind the play to get himself ejected from the hockey game. It was obviously emotions boiling over, but the penalty put his team in a 5 minute short handed scenario, and took yet another weapon away. Merritt wouldn't capitalize on the major penalty, but 9 minutes later Carter Shinkaruk put a wrister past a screened Ty Swabb to out a strangle hold on the hockey game.

The third period saw Prince George receive 3 power play opportunities, but non of which would produced goals. Before it was all said and done though, Captain Ben Matthews showed why he is the captain of this hockey club. With 15 seconds on the clock, Merritt trickle a puck towards the empty Prince George net, but in a last second desperation move, Matthews fought off a Centennials, dove out, and swiped it off the goal line. The move caused him to go face first into the post, but it really showed why he was made captain. He has the heart of a champion, and with 15 seconds remaining, some would have packed it in and let the puck go to protect himself, but not Mr. Ben Matthews.

The game would end 3-1, giving Merritt the sweep over their Interior conference rivals. When the dust settled, Prince George was just out matched by a group of players that were playing as a complete unit. Merritt doesn’t have the flashiest of guys, or the top scorers of the league. What they have is a hard nosed style, and a group of men who go to war. Package that with a fine goaltending performance by Laval native Lino Chimienti, and they are a force to be reckoned with next round.

The Three Stars:

3)(PG)Michael Colantone

2)(PG)Ben Matthews

1)(PG)Jarryd Ten Vaanholt

To read the full box score recap, click here.

Next Up:

As we said before, it was a magical season that eventually had to come to an end. I don't think many fans expected it to go down this way, but sometimes that's just hockey. It'll be a tough way for some of these players to end their BCHL careers, but they can hold their heads high knowing they've helped rejuvenate a franchise and a city. We will take a couple of days to regroup, and then give you one final run down on the season and our final thoughts on this blog. Thanks for everything this season, we could not have done it with out YOU, the fans!

Paul De Jersey, A Dream Season, And Could Get Even Better...

Paul De Jersey (8) looking for the shot or the setup

It was a dream season for Prince George Spruce Kings forward Paul De Jersey. The West Vancouver native came to Prince George through a three player deal between the Spruce Kings, Salmon Arm Silverbacks and Drumheller Dragons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in August. While speaking with The Province Newspaper De Jersey mentioned that the trade initially worried him, as he didn't want to be known as the "guy who gets traded a lot." As it turns out, he never needed to worry, as he found a whole new life and vision in Prince George.

In training camp De Jersey impressed everyone who watched, but even the Spruce Kings personnel didn't know what was about to follow. Through Paul De Jersey's first 93 BCHL games, he amassed 11 goals and 23 points. The potential was always known, it just hadn't hit the surface yet. It didn't take long though; just 9 games in he ended up surpassing his overall goal total from the previous seasons. De Jersey had 13 goals through those 9 games, and was quickly letting fans and players know he had hit his stride. The fun didn't stop there as De Jersey continued to pile on the goals and points. With his line mates, Jujhar Khaira and Michael Colantone, he helped elevate the Spruce Kings both in the standings and in the public eye. The "big three' gelled immediately and instantly became one of the most feared lines in the League. Every night, when they hit the ice, you knew something special was about to happen.

De Jersey headed into the final game of the season tied for the league lead in points with Vees forward Joey Benik. It looked as though Paul may be about to lose his number 1 spot that he'd been holding for most of the season. But, the Spruce Kings forward had one more magical game left in the tank. In an adrenaline filled arena with fans and players feeding off each other, De Jersey set up team mates three times to help his team end Penticton's epic win streak. The assists were all that was needed to edge Benik out and earn himself his first ever Brett Hull trophy. Conveniently, it was the first time a Spruce Kings player had ever taken home the historical title as well. De Jersey ended the season with 41 goals and 57 assists.

As if that hardware wasn't good enough, later on in the week De Jersey was honoured by being named the top player in the Interior Conference for the 2011/2012 season. This would be only the second time that a player with the Prince George Spruce Kings would be awarded the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy, the other being Tyler Loney (2005). The fun didn't stop there as De Jersey was then voted to the BCHL First Team of All-Stars along side Penticton Vees forwards Wade Murphy and Joey Benik. Vees defenceman Mike Reilly and Vipers Brett Corkey along with Prince George native goaltender Michael Garteig were also named to the team.

As we said, De Jersey had a dream regular season with the Spruce Kings as he surpassed his career totals, won the Brett Hull trophy, collected a scholarship to Providence and helped his team get back to the playoffs for the first time after missing out two years in a row. He out did all the expectations and maybe even surprised himself. He was a force while working with Jujhar Khaira and Michael Colantone, and he'll need to continue to be going forward. His work is far from over, as the team gets ready to embark on what everyone hopes is a lengthy post season run. If De Jersey is on his game and continues his offensive dominance, the Spruce Kings will be a stern test for any foe going forward.

To read the announcement of all the Trophies awarded this season, and to see who made the all star teams, check out the BCHL website (click here).

The Spruce Kings have had many stellar players come through the Castle and many solid performances through their 40 year history. Is Paul De Jersey's 2011/2012 season the best we've ever seen? That is question best left unanswered and there is still lots of hockey left to determine that, but it is safe to say at this point, it most definitely deserves to be in the discussion.

Don't forget, the Spruce Kings will broadcasting playoff games, both home and away games on CFIS FM. Check back to this blog for all the updates prior to Friday night's Game 1! Prior to the game be sure to test your computer to make sure you can hear the broadcast and not miss a minute of the action. Tune your radio to 93.1 CFIS-FM or click on the "Listen Live" link on the radio station's website at www.cfisfm.com.

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!!!

"Tip, Tac, Toe"

Going into the game, both teams talked about the playoff atmosphere they were anticipating. By the time the game came to a close, everyone was talking about the playoff atmosphere that we all just experienced. It was one of the best games we've seen this season at the Castle as the Spruce Kings topped the Chiefs 4-3 in overtime. The game was played in front of over 1000 Prince George faithful, all of which were rocking all night long. Although it didn't start out all roses for the Spruce Kings.

The first period started a way we hadn't seen yet this season, as Ben Woodley was in the box before the puck was even dropped. It was eventually announced that Woodley had left the ice too late after warm up and was accessed a minor. The Chiefs took full advantage of this, scoring 36 seconds in to take the early lead. Derek Huisman was given the official marker as he took a feed on top of Swabb and made no mistake. Prince George wasn't ready to lay down that easy though, as they carried the play soon after the goal and began pressing and challenging Chiefs goaltender Mitch Gillam. I took 10 minutes, but Michael Colantone eventually put home a Jarryd Ten Vaanholt pass on the power play to make it 1-1. The period would end that way with the shots 16-8 in favour of the Spruce Kings.

The second period didn't see any goals exchanged, but it did see plenty of fine end to end action. But the third period was a completely different story as the play and teams were blown wide open. Michael Colantone would score his second power play goal of the game to help the Spruce Kings take their first lead of the game. The Chiefs worked quickly though to end that, as Trevor Hills scored just 5 seconds later to make the game even once again. It would stay this way until the 9 minute mark as Jarryd Ten Vaanholt, the games eventual first star, scored Prince George's first even strength goal of the game. It would be Ten Vaanholt's 3rd point of the night as he was easily the best Spruce King skater.

Things would get even more wild with about 6 minutes left as Michael Colantone was hauled down on a short handed breakaway. The building was buzzing as Colantone stepped up at centre to take the penalty shot, but they would quickly be sat down as he lost control of the puck and Gillam made an easy save. 39 seconds later, the Spruce Kings fans would have even less to cheer about as Derek Huisman scored his 2nd of the night on the power play. Then, with 1:30 left in the period, Chiefs defencemen Matthew Hutchinson took a holding penalty to put the Kings a man up. They couldn't do anything with it during the 3rd, but they took that momentum with them into overtime.

After a quick break, both teams hit the ice, 4 Spruce Kings and 3 Chiefs. Pg would add a few chances, but the man advantage proved in affective for the first time in the game. Luckily for the 1056 in attendance, it didn't matter as Gerry Fitzgerald would send them home happy after redirecting home a Ben Matthews pass. It was a play that we dubbed in the booth “Tip, Tac, Toe” and it would help lift the Spruce Kings to victory, but more importantly give them 2 points more in the standings.

At the start of the contest, Todd and I talked about how we thought this had all the makings of for a “game of the year” candidate. Luckily for ourselves and the fans, that's exactly what we got. Both goaltenders made some fine saves with Gillam ending up facing 43 pucks. Both teams had some fancy work in the offensive zone and both threw their weight around. The bottom line, these are two very evenly matched teams across the board, and it's a treat to watch

To recap tonight's game with the official box score and to check out the Three Stars, click here

Next Up:

The Spruce Kings will now turn around and get set to host the Nanamio Clippers tomorrow night. The game is a big one for fans as the Spruce Kings and Save on Foods will be attempting to give away a truck during the second intermission. So make sure to get down to the Castle for 7pm. If you can't, then be sure to listen in with myself and Todd for FREE on our Ustream channel

Make That Six in a Row VS. Salmon Arm

Tonight the Spruce Kings had a task in front of them that they had failed to accomplish two weekends in a row. Against Chilliwack and Vernon the two previous weekends, they would win the first game, but then lose the next night at the Castle. Heading into tonight, it's a thought that was on many people's minds, could they topple Salmon Arm again? The difference between the other two squads and this one? It's a team they had beaten 5 times already this season. It's a team that they had outscored 20-9 through those 5 games. And it's a team, that would help them get over the hump tonight.

The first period was an explosion of offence for the Spruce Kings as they scored goals fast and furiously. Myles Fitzgerald started things off 2 minutes in as he and his brothers moved in on a three on one. Latrell Charleson would add the only assist on the opening goal. Just over 2 minutes later Jarryd Ten Vaanholt would convert on a beautiful passing play started off by Ben Matthews and Ben Woodley. It was a highlight reel goal that got the Castle rocking and Salmon Arm scratching their heads for an answer. Unfortunately for them, while they were looking for a way out of this mess, Paul De Jersey was going to work, adding his league leading 39th goal of the season. His line mates Jujhar Khaira and Michael Colantone would each get a point on the play, and that would take us into our first break.

The second period saw the Silverbacks come out with a purpose as they caught the Spruce Kings sleeping. Garrett Hendrickson would get the first Salmon Arm tally 2 minutes in, after some nice work from Mike Berry and Jeff Kennedy. It seemed that the Silverbacks were primed and ready for a comeback, but then the Spruce Kings would provide what we named in the broadcast booth, the crowning moment of the game. Zack Rassell stepped out of the box after serving a 5 minute major for fighting and raced into the Silverbacks zone. He would then steal the puck and find a streaking Jarryd Ten Vaanholt who would put home his 2nd of the night. It was the hard work and hustle of Rassell that made the play, and although it didn't go down as the game winner, it did halt the Silverbacks early momentum. Brendan Kennedy and Jujhar Khaira would trade goals for each side before the end of the period.

The third started out in favour of the Spruce Kings this time, as Myles Fitzgerald would score his 2nd of the hockey game. Morgan Zulinick would add two power play markers to make things a little interesting towards the end, but there was no mistaking which team was the better on the ice tonight. With the win, the Spruce Kings move their season series record versus the Silver backs to 6-0. They have out scored the Silverbacks in those 6 games 26-13.

When it was all said and done, we saw a lot of the same from the Spruce Kings that we've seen throughout the season. When they are on, they can put up points and goals like mad men. They can paint a master piece on the ice when all the cylinders are firing. But, they did have a few different alert signals pop back up. They seemed to take their foot off of the gas pedal for a bit in the second period, which didn't hurt them tonight, but it is something that you cannot do against the Penticton's of the league. Also, Kirk Thompson made some fine saves tonight, but a few of the goals he most certainly wants back. But at the end of the day, a win is a win and lessons can be taken to move forward with. They have 13 games left in the regular season, and as Todd and myself said during the broadcast, they control their own destiny at this point.

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

Next Up:

The Spruce Kings will now get ready for three in a row on the road next weekend against Trail and Salmon Arm. It should also be noted that the Chilliwack Chiefs lost to Trail tonight, so the Spruce Kings now have a 3 point lead for third place in the division. Chilliwack has a game in hand, but that game will be played against the high flying Vees. Enjoy the week, we'll be back with you Friday to get yo set for the divisional weekend.

The Spruce Kings Explode in The Third...

We expected a close, entertaining contest and we received nothing less. Prince George and Chilliwack have played 5 one goal game's this season (counting the 4-2 game due to an empty netter) with a couple of those going into overtime. It's obvious that these two squads are very evenly matched and it showed once again tonight. Thankfully for the home town fans, the Spruce Kings stepped their game up when they needed to, and skated away with the victory. It was their second win in a row, as they avenged a loss just six days earlier to the Chiefs.

The first period didn't start out so well for the Spruce Kings though, as Jeremy Gossard put a weak one past Kirk Thompson at 5:21. It was a momentum killer for the Spruce Kings as they were leading in the shots department 10-2 before the opening score. Prince George didn't wait long to answer as Leo Fitzgerald potted his 7th of the season on the power play. Both teams would trade chances, but head into the intermission tied at one.

After an intermission that featured the always entertaining youngsters fall over for five minutes, we were back at it with more of the same. 5:38 into the second Malcolm Gould put home a puck that Kirk Thompson yet again would have liked back. It was another good start for the visiting team, but ultimately it would be their last one of the game. The newest Spruce King Jarryd Ten Vaanholt would get his first with his new team after taking a nice feed from Paul De Jersey. It was his second point of the game for Ten Vannholt, as coach Dave Dupas line shake up was proving to benefit him greatly.

The third period looked like it was going to produce yet another one goal game, but the Spruce kings had other plans as Paul De Jersey fired one five hole on Mitch Gillam just 1 minute in. 15 minutes later Paul De Jersey would split two Chief defenders and put home a beautiful goal to seal the deal. Michael Colantone would add salt to the wound late as the Spruce Kings took home the victory with a 5-2 decision.

It was a great third period for Prince George, which included a couple of fabulous saves from Kirk Thompson to either keep the game tied, or to hold onto the lead. Paul De Jersey continued to prove he has some of the best hands in the league while netting 4 points. Jarryd Ten Vaanholt would have a very nice home debut as well, grabbing 3 points of his own. This was the Spruce Kings first win over Chilliwack at The Castle. It brings the season series to a 3-3 tie

To read the official box score, click here

The Three Stars:

3) (PG) Jarryd Ten Vaanholt - 1 Goal 2 Assists
2) (PG) Ben Matthews
1) (PG) Paul De Jersey 2 - Goals 2 Assists

Next Up:

These two teams will renew the rivalry tomorrow night at the Coliseum. The puck will drop at 7pm as the Spruce Kings look to grab a firm hold of third place in the interior conference. To listen to the FREE audio broadcast tomorrow night, click here

3 Game Road Trip Begins Tonight...

The Spruce Kings have a big three game road trip ahead of them, and it all starts tonight in Chilliwack. The Kings have won their last four games, with one of the “W's” coming against the Chiefs. That meeting was on December 28th as Prince George skated to a 4-2 victory. These two squads have been very evenly matched all season, with their first three games being decided by just 1 goal.

January will be a busy month between these two teams, as they will play twice more after tonight, both being in Prince George. As it sits right now, the Spruce Kings are 3 points up on Chilliwack in the standings, although the Chiefs do have 2 games in hand. With the new playoff format set to be broken out this season, wins over division opponents are crucial. Vernon, who sits in 5th and is on the outside looking in, are 3 points back of Chilliwack and 6 back of Prince George for those final playoff spots. With Penticton running away with 1st place, the battle for 2nd, 3rd and 4th will likely be decided in the final week of the season, so teams are going to want to have an advantage in the season series going forward.

The battle between the goaltenders is one of the key match ups tonight. For the Spruce Kings, both goalies have seen action against the Chiefs this season, but only Ty Swabb owns a victory. Look for Kirk Thompson to still get the start tonight as he is coming off of a two win performance last weekend against Westside.

Bryton Udy and Mitch Gillam have split starts against the Spruce Kings, both winning one and losing one. The Chiefs come in having lost their last five games, with both Udy and Gillam receiving work. It's not known who the Chiefs will send to battle tonight in hopes of stopping the slide, but with Udy taking the last loss, I’d guess we'll see Gillam get the start at Prospera tonight.

Who's hot:

The Spruce Kings top line continues to tear it up in the BCHL. Paul De Jersey is riding a 20 game point scoring streak. Michael Colantone has 7 goals in his past four games, including two sets of hat tricks. Not to be outdone, Jujhar Khaira was just ranked as the 80th best North American in the mid season Central Scouting Rankings. You can read all about the rankings here.

New Acquisitions:

The Spruce Kings picked up two new forwards at the trade deadline in hopes of going on a run in to the post season after missing out in the two previous tries.

Game Time:

The puck drops at the Prospera Centre tonight at 7pm. You can get the web cast or the FREE audio of the game here. The Spruce Kings will then travel to Penticton tomorrow and Vernon on Sunday.

Go Spruce Kings

Make That Four in a Row..

The Spruce Kings are officially on a roll as they downed the Warriors 5-2 tonight at the Castle. It was the second win in as many nights over Westside, and a game that featured a lot of similarities to their Thursday match up. There were big hits, lead changes and even a couple of tilts featuring the Spruce Kings top players. But in the end, it was Prince George who would continue to climb up the standings, pushing Westside further down into the basement of the Interior Conference.

It did start out well for the Warriors though, as like last night, they jumped out to an early 1-0 lead and were out playing the Kings. Prince George was firing a ton of shots, but many of them were easy saves for Dwayne Rodrigue as the Westside did a good job of boxing out the Kings, allowing their goaltender to see most shots. The First period also featured our two fights for the night, as Michael Colantone dropped the mits with Izaak Berglund. A Colantone slash started the tussle, but neither man landed anything significant, leading to the bout being declared a draw. Minutes later Jujhar Khaira decided he wanted to test his punching power with Max French. This fight was more of a glorified wrestling match as both men grabbed on, attempted to throw, before crashing to the ice. The two fights from Colantone and Khaira were unrealistic, but they seemed to fire up the bench moving forward.

The Spruce Kings used that momentum to their advantage early, as 2 minutes into the second frame Paul De Jersey stick handled his way through the Warriors before dekeing out Rodgrigue to tie the game up. 10 minutes later Ben Matthews helped Prince George take the lead as hr walked in and fired a wrister home on the power play. Paul De Jersey would round out the scoring in the second after tipping a nice feed from Patrick Chore. It was De Jersey's second of the game, and 30th of the season.

The Third period started of great for Prince George, as Leo Fitzgerald snipe a shot top corner to make it 4-1. The highlight of the third period came when Cody Bardock took a shot from the point, that missed everyone, including the goaltender, giving him his first ever BCHL goal. The crowd gave him a nice salute, while Ben Matthews made sure to scoop up the puck for him. The Warriors would add a goal from Marcus Basara, but that is as close as they'd get, and have to head back to Kelowna after dropping two straight in Prince George.

The win gives Prince George 43 points on the season, which is good for 3rd place at the moment. They sit 3 points up on 4th place Chilliwack, but the Chiefs do have three games in hand. They also sit 6 points up on 5th place Vernon, who have two games in hand.

For tonight's box scores, click here

The Spruce Kings are flying high right now, having won their last 4 games. This is a team that can make some real noise going forward, as long as they stick to their game. The big three up front continue to score big goals, and they'll need to continue to do so. The secondary scoring is coming together, as the Fitzgerald are adding points at the right time, while the Defence has scored some big goals lately. The goaltending has been very strong as well, and will need to get even better as they try to get back to the playoffs for the first time in two years. Also don't forget that the trade deadline is on January 10th, and with the Spruce Kings down 2 forwards, they will likely be big players from now, until then. Stay tuned to the blog for all the updates.



The Three Stars:

3) (PG )Leo Fitzgerald – 1 Goal
2) (PG) Cody Bardock – First BCHL Goal
1) (PG) Paul De Jersey – 2 Goals

Next Up:

The Spruce Kings are getting set for a huge three game weekend. Next Friday they will battle Chilliwack. The following night they will travel to Penticton to take on the high flying Vees. Then they will head to Vernon to face off against a team that they are fighting against for the 3rd and 4th playoff spot. Be sure to head to the BCHL website to catch all the action.

The First Win of 2012

The Spruce Kings have come out of the Christmas break flying, including getting their first win of 2012. The game tonight played out at the Coliseum against a feisty Westside Warriors side, one that was in desperate need of a win. Prince George though, needed a win for a different reason, and that reason was to stay in a playoff spot. They did just that, disposing of the Warriors, posting a 4-1 victory in front of the PG faithful.

It didn't start very well for the Spruce Kings though, as they found themselves badly out played in the first 10 minutes of the hockey game. The Warriors struck first as Reid Simmonds walked in and fired a beautiful wrister past Kirk Thompson. The play was opened up after Charleson laid out a big open ice hit, but unfortunately it left the Warriors on an odd man rush, and they capitalized. At this point, Westside was out shooting the Spruce Kings 9-1. It only took 5 minutes though for the Spruce Kings to get out of their funk, as Michael Colantone put home a one timer on the power play. The Warriors powered through the rest of the period, and headed into the intermission up on the shot clock 14-8.

Sean Landrey (18) provided the spark that extinguished both
Dustin Cave (22) and the Westside Warriors on this night.
Photo courtesy Les Gagnon.

The second period was a complete 180 for the Spruce Kings, as they fired chance after chance at Dwayne Rodrigue. This period also saw our one and only tilt on the night as Sean Landrey and Dustin Cave dropped the mits 3 minutes in. The fight started out with both men landing a shot, but Landrey soon got Cave's jersey over his head and landed a couple clean upper cuts that rocked the Warrior defenceman. The two men went crashing to the ice, and that's when it was notice that Landrey did indeed land a few shots on the button, because Cave's nose was broken and bent to the side. After the ice was briefly cleaned, play resumed and we saw the Spruce Kings press the action for most of the second before finally taking their first lead of the game, another power play goal, and another one form Michael Colantone. The goal came with just 10 seconds left in period, and would prove to be a huge momentum grabber going forward.

Three minutes into the third period, Ben Matthews put the icing on the cake with a shot form the point that made it's way by a screened Rodrigue. This game could have been drastically different though had it not been for Kirk Thompson, who was very good between the pipes for Prince George. Our game changing play came at the hands of Thompson, who stoned Max French of a breakaway with about 5 minutes remaining in the game. A goal would have pulled the Warriors within 1 goal, giving them considerable momentum. But the Prince George goaltender was up to the task, and eventually finished with 26 fine saves and a “W”. Colantone would eventually add a fourth goal, and finish off his second hat trick in eight days. The Spruce Kings happily skated away tonight with a 4-1 win over a division rival.

A couple of big points to add about tonight's effort, and both of them involve special teams. The Spruce Kings power play had not been good throughout the first half of the season, as they had the 16th ranked power play coming into tonight. But there is a good chance that after tonight, they will finally be out of the basement as they went 2-4 on the PP. Their penalty kill was just as good, as they killed off all 3 of their penalties tonight. In today's game, Special Teams is often the difference maker, and with all the fire power Prince George has 5 on 5, imagine what kind of team they can be if their power play becomes an effective machine. It should also be noted that Paul De Jersey got an assist tonight, meaning he now has a 17 game point streak going.

The Three Stars:

3) (PG) Chase Golightly – 1 Assist
2) (PG) Kirk Thompson – 26 Saves in the Win
1) (PG) Michael Colantone – 3 Goals 1 Assist

Next Up:

These two teams will do it all over again tomorrow night at the Castle. Puck will drop once again at 7pm, but as always if you can't make the trip, you can always listen to the FREE audio broadcast here

It Begins Tonight...

It's a new year, and it's time for the Spruce Kings to take control of their own destiny. With a 2 point lead over Vernon in the standings, and 1 point back of the Chilliwack Chiefs, beating division rivals has never become more important. Prince George has missed the playoffs the past two years, and with the new playoff format, this year isn't going to be any easier for them. But if they up their game, even just a pinch, they can make a splash going forward and maybe, just maybe they can bring themselves and their fans back into the post season. They can start that up hill climb to the promise land with two huge wins tonight and tomorrow as they will host the Westside Warriors. Westside skates into January after a rough last couple of months, having only nabbed 3 wins in the month of December.

One of those wins though, came at the hands of the Spruce Kings, as they marched into the Castle and stole a “W” away. The very next night Prince George was able to settle the score before the teams played to a draw in Westside the next weekend. Including the game between these two in October, Westside actually leads the season series with a record of 2-1-1. They will play 3 more times this season, with two of those games being played at the Castle this weekend.

As mentioned above, the Spruce Kings control their own destiny from here on out, as they currently sit in a playoff spot. So with that in mind, they need not worry about what other teams are doing, they just need to win. Watching the scoreboard for Chilliwack and Vernon scores isn't going to help their cause, but winning will. This two game home stand against Westside will be a big tell for how the rest of the season could play out for Prince George. Taking nothing away from Westside, but these are two games the Spruce Kings need and should win. When you host a team, you usually become the favourite to win, but when you host a team that is below you in the standings, you are expected to win. Now that is not meant to take anything away from the Warriors as they are a very talented team who could turn it on at any given moment, and most likely will before the end of this season. Every team and player is in this league for a reason, and can win on any given night. But if you are the Spruce Kings, and are looking to stay in the hunt for the playoffs, you need to win the games you are “suppose” to, and that starts with tonight.

Who's Hot?:

The Spruce Kings top line continues to score big goals, and score them often. Colantone and Khaira have moved into the top ten in scoring as De Jersey continues to lead all scorers. But it's Jujhar Khaira who is getting the most praise at the moment as he was honoured with the “player of the week” this past week. Colantone also received an honourable mention as he had a hat trick in last week's game versus Chilliwack. Not to be out done though, the BCHL's leading scorer Paul De Jersey is currently riding a 16 game point streak.

For the Westside Warriors, Connor Dempsey is leading the charge, having notched 35 points so far this season. Dempsey had the tying goal in the Warriors last game, as his team eventually won it in overtime over the Centennials.

Game Time:

Kirk Thompson will get the start tonight, as both teams will be playing for the first time in 2012. The puck drops at 7pm at The Coliseum, with tomorrow night’s game happening at the same time and place. If you can't make it to the Castle tonight, you can listen to the game for FREE here. If you would like to watch the web cast, you can do so here. We hope to see you there, as the Spruce Kings march towards a return to the playoffs begins tonight

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

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

Another One Goal Loss...

Westside came into the Castle having lost nine of their past 10. The Spruce Kings came in having lost their past three. After it was all said and done, Westside would skate away with the Win. The Warriors had an abysmal November, losing eight of nine. They started off December with a loss, but tonight, they were not going to lay down and die. The Spruce Kings didn't have as long of a losing streak, but losing three games in a row by 1 goal, isn't fun. It's a streak that continued tonight, as they dropped a 3-2 decision to Westside. It was a very entertaining game, but only one team skated away smiling.

The Break Down:

The first started off as most do, back and forth puck movement, a few chances, but no real scoring opportunities. But at the 8:48 mark, the Spruce Kings top line struck again, as Michael Colantone fired a wrister top corner on Dwayne Rodrigue to open the scoring. Ben Woodley and Paul De Jersey add the assists on the goal. The Warriors didn’t take long to tie the game up, as they took advantage off a miscue by the Spruce Kings defender and tied the game up. Brett Mckinnon was left alone out front, took a feed and one timed it past Kirk Thompson. That's where things left off heading into the intermission.

The second period would prove to be the eventual difference maker as the Warriors would score 2 goals just over a minute apart. Max French would start it off by sending a puck on net from the top of the right circle that fooled Thompson. The Prince George net minder reached out for it, and just plain missed it. Then 1:04 later, Richard Vanderhoek took a pass on a two on one and scored on a wide open net. It was a quick turn around for the Warriors of Westside, and it would prove to be too much to over come

The Spruce Kings would apply a ton of pressure in the third, thanks in large part to the a five minute power play handed to them after Garrett Skrbich was sent to the showers early for charging Kirk Thompson. Thompson would lay on the ice for a moment, before getting up under his own power to stay in the game. Jujhar Khaira would make them pay quickly, just 8 seconds into the major, he fired a shot from the top of the right circle that found it's way past Rodrigue. It was a quick strike, that gave hope to the Prince George faithful going forward with seven minutes to go. One of the turning points in the game would come during the five minute power play, when the Spruce Kings were called for too many men on the ice. It still left them with time to work with, but it essentially killed off the momentum that they had just gained.

The Spruce Kings would press, but Rodrigue held down the fort, and helped his team skate to a 3-2 victory. Rodrigue made 22 saves in the game, taking home the “W”. Thompson would be given the loss, as he made 25 saves in defeat.

The game was a very good one, but ultimately it ends up being yet another 1 goal loss for the Spruce Kings. This was Prince George's fourth 1 goal game in a row that they end up on the wrong side of. It's a tough pill to swallow, and one that leaves Coach Dave Dumas and his squad wondering what they have to do to end up on the right side of things. There were a couple of different turning points for me in tonight’s contest. One came in the second period, during Prince George's first power play. Jujhar Khaira made a backdoor feed to Paul De Jersey who had a good amount of net to look at. Rodrigue though was not wiling to let up easy, as he slip across his crease and made a split leg toe save. It was a save that may not have been noticed by many, but at the time, it kept the game all tied up. The other turning point for me came during the Max French 2-1 goal. It was a shot that Thompson should have saved, and one he would make if given another try. But unfortunately, these things happen, he missed the puck and gave all the momentum to Westside going forward.

To read the full box score and get a recap in scoring from tonight, click here

The Three Stars:

3)(WW) Richard Vanderhoek – 1 Goal, GWG

2)(PG) Gerry Fitzgerald

1)(WW) Max French – 1 Goal

Next Up:

These two teams will battle once again at the Coliseum tomorrow afternoon. This game becomes eve bigger for the Spruce Kings, as they hope to re-establish their 6 point lead on the Warriors in the standings. Tonight’s game was a good one, so be sure not to miss the rematch tomorrow as the puck drops at 3pm

An Unfortunate End Halts An Entertaining Game

Tonight, Prince George got to witness a great hockey game. Unfortunately, they also got to witness a weird ending that slowed the game right down. All night these two teams battled back and forth, exchanging chances and hits. It was a match up of two very evenly ranked teams, and it looked like we would need an extra frame to decide things. As it turned out, we wouldn't end up seeing overtime, but we would see the game end in controversy. With that in mind, let's recap tonight's 3-2 loss to the Chilliwack Chiefs.

The Breakdown:

The first period started out with a bang for the Chiefs, as their leading scorer David Bondra intercepted a pass, moved in and fired a shot pasta slightly screened Kirk Thompson. The goal came at 3:13 mark, and quickly showed that the Chiefs had no bus rust from he trip to Prince George. The Spruce Kings were not prepared to lay down that earlier though, as Michael Colantone took a nice pass from Jujhar Khaira, and scored on a brief breakaway attempt at the 7:19 mark. Prince George would follow that up with a power play goal from Tyson Witala at the 16:20 mark. They would take that 2-1 lead into the break.

The first half of the second period was all Prince George, as they were firing all sorts of shots on Mitch Gillam. Prince George would get a few more power play opportunities, but couldn't put another puck past the Chiefs goaltender. Chilliwack would reward there goaltenders fine play with a tally, as David Thompson got a lucky bounce off of Ben Woodley's leg and tied the game up at 2. Derek Huisman would get the only assist on the play as Chilliwack snatched back the momentum that Prince George was seeming to carry into the intermission with. The Spruce Kings had all sorts of chances, but not burying them in the second would prove to be a huge difference maker.

The third period was more of the same from these two talented squads. Back and forth action, big hits, and nice scoring chances. The eventual game winner came at the 11:40 mark as Trevor Hills threw a puck on net from the corner, and ended up beating Thompson. The goal didn't come without some controversy though, as Thompson appeared to have it squeezed against the post, the referring looked as though he was going to signal it dead, then the goal light came on. The Spruce Kings argued the call, but it was to no avail as the tally would count. The game would end with that score, but not before some more controversy and rough stuff over flowed onto the ice.

As time was winding down Paul De Jersey seemed to be jumped behind the play by David Thompson. Thompson stood over a turtled De Jersey and tried to pound on him before the ref jumped in. Colantone ended up without his gloves on after the brief scrum, both teams exchanged words, and then it was up to the referees to decide what would happen next. As it turned out, they decided to give most roughing minors, and tossed Ben Woodley for unsportsmanlike conduct. So with just 14 seconds left, the Spruce Kings were forced deep into their own zone, making it too much to over come. It was a weird scenario considering De Jersey was the one who was being held down and punched. The newly crowned Captain Ben Matthews didn't let the game end without sticking up for his teammates. He would dropped the gloves with Shay Laurent, dropping him in the process with a right to the nose, essentially giving his team a small piece of gratification to go home with. Gillam would get the win, making 33 saves in the 3-2 victory for the Chiefs.

It was an unfortunate end to what was a great hockey game. Prince George had their chances to win, but ultimately couldn't solve Gillam after the first period.

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

The Three Stars:

3)(PG) Tyson Witala – 1 Goal
2)(CHW)David Bondra -1 Goal, 1 Assist
1)(CHW)Mitch Gillam – 33 Saves

Next Up:

The Spruce Kings will head into the weekend having lost 3 in a row. They will have another chance though to set the tone going forward as they host the Westside Warriors on Saturday and Sunday
Saturday the puck drops at 7pm, and Sunday at 3pm. Once again, both games will take place at the Castle.

The Centennials Take Down Prince George In a Rough One

Round 1 goes to the Centennials! It was the first of a home and home series, and the Centennials were the better team tonight. They were able to capitalize on key mistakes, as all three goals came from break downs int heir own end. Kirk Thompson played a great hockey game, stopping 28 shots, many of which were stellar saves, but his team couldn't add enough insurance to capture the win at home. Round 2 goes tomorrow night, but let's recap tonight’s match up between the Merritt Centennials and your Prince George Spruce Kings:

The Break Down:

The first period started out well for the Spruce Kings, and through the first ten minutes, they controlled the action. But the Centennials were able to turn things around after that, and grab hold of the momentum. Merritt would make good on their second power play of the game, which turned out to be the second half of a four minute penalty to Trevor Esau, as Silvan Harper put home a wrap around attempt. It didn't take to much longer for the Centennials to add to their lead, as Harper potted his second of the evening, a one timer out front, at 16:29 of the first. The period would end this way, But not before Paul De Jersey and Peyton Schaefer would drop the mits. Although the fight ended with both men crashing to the ice before landing a punch, the scrap seemed to pump up both squads

The big play to remember from the second period, was an elbow that lead to the games first ejection. Myles Fitzgerald hit his man with what the referee called an elbow to the head. The call lead to Myles getting the gate early, and leaving his team with the task of killing a 5 minute major. Kirk Thompson made multiple incredible saves to help his team eventual kill off the major, leaving many to believe that this could be a potential turning point. The Spruce Kings forwards rewarded their goaltenders play with a goal 4 minutes afterwards as Paul De Jersey ripped home his 22nd of the season. Ben Woodley and Michael Colantone added the helpers on the Spruce Kings first tally. It was a 2-1 hockey game in favour of Merritt heading into the third, and momentum was starting to tilt in favour of Prince George.

Although the Spruce Kings had lots of good things to work off of starting the third, it as Merritt who once again capitalized on another Prince George mistake behind their own net. Reece Wilcox found puck that squirted out of a pack, and wrap one past the sprawling Thompson. The goal would be the eventual game winner for the Centennials. Chase Golightly would make things interesting late, firing one home form the point, but it became to much to over come for the Spruce Kings. The end of the game saw things start to turn ugly as Ben Woodley and Jakob Reichert fought, as did both teams coaching staffs. Emotions boiled over on ice, leading to a few more shoving matches, and setting the stage for an intense rematch tomorrow night. Tyler Steel received the win tonight, making 26 saves

It should also be noted just how short handed the Spruce Kings became as the game went on. Prince George started the game with just 11 starting forwards as Sean Landrey and Michael Klonarakis sat with injuries. Myles FItzgerald was the next to go, getting ejected for an elbow to the head. Stefan Bazar then left the game with an undisclosed injury, with Ben Woodley getting the gate for a fighting major late in the game. When it was all sad and done, with 8 minutes to play, the Spruce Kings had 9 forwards and 5 defenseman on the bench.

To get a check out the full recap and box score of tonight's match up, click here

The Three Stars:

3) (PG) Gerry Fitzgerald

2) (MER) Silvan Harper – 2 Goals

1) (PG) Kirk Thompson – 28 Saves

The Next Game:

These two teams will do it again tomorrow night in Merritt. This is exactly what the BCHL had in mind when they scheduled this BCHL 50th anniversary celebration weekend. It was a great game tonight between division rivals, and one that neither team wanted to lose. The emotions ran high, and boiled over on the ice and on the benches. The stage for tomorrow's game has been set, and this one is going to be a rough hard fought battle. Be sure to not miss this one tomorrow night in Merritt. The puck will drop at 7:30 and you can watch the web cast here