The royal matchup in the BCHL did not go the way of the home team on Thursday.
The Prince George Spruce Kings were royally besmirched as the Powell River Kings dethroned them 5-2 on Thursday at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
For the second straight time, Prince George played catch-up giving up a pair of first period power-play goals to Ben Berard and Mitchell Williams, trailing 2-0 after 20 minutes.
Special teams was the difference as Powell River scored shorthanded early in the second off of a two-on-one where Christine Buono ripped one past Spruce Kings netminder Logan Neaton spoiling an earlier Prince George goal by local product Corey Cunningham.
The Prince George power-play is ice cold going one-for-fifteen in the last three home games.
“It seems like we’re not on the same page a lot of the time we need to get more pucks to the net for sure and we’re playing too much on the perimeter and trying to be a little fancy at times so we just have to get back to basics,” said Dylan Anhorn, Spruce Kings defenseman.
Prince George is battling the flu bug at the moment as they were without forwards, Sam Kozlowski, Michael Conlin, Spencer Chapman and Layne Sniher for Thursday’s contest.
With the increased minutes forced upon a lot of the veteran core, fatigue may have been setting in a little bit quicker.
“Yeah absolutely it played a little bit of a part with lesser bodies but I don’t think we can blame today’s game on that one for sure, I think it comes down to our special teams as five-on-five we outplayed them the entire game to be frank with you and we just couldn’t get it done with the extra man.”
“We’re playing the game right especially five-on-five and doing everything we need to we just need to find a way to get dirtier in front the of the net and put some of those in.”
Patrick Cozzi scored the other single late in the game for Prince George, while Josh Coblenz, and Ethan Schmunk added insurance markers for Powell River.
Kings goaltender Mitch Adamyk made several 10-bell saves throughout the contest to keep his team in the driver seat including a larcenous stop on Tyler Schleppe late in the middle frame.
Prince George outshot Powell River 37-22 and remain three points back of the Chilliwack Chiefs for the Mainland Division lead.
The Spruce Kings (7-4-0-1) wrap up a four-game homestand on Saturday when they entertain the Salmon Arm Silverbacks (5-4-1-0) at 7 p.m.
-Spruce Kings
