Two late power-play goals in the third period from Rowan Miller and Nick Rhéaume was the difference tonight, as the Prince George Spruce Kings left 1,000 fans happy, with a 5-3 victory over the Trail Smoke Eaters on 1970’s night at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
1st PERIOD:
PG: On a Spruce King power-play, the puck came to John Herrington at the right circle off a Dylan Schives pass, who then spotted Rowan Miller in the slot and redirected the Herrington pass right by Smoke Eaters goaltender Bailey Monteith to give the Spruce Kings the lead. Miller’s fifth of the season was assisted by both Herrington and Schives at 4:38.
PG: On another Prince George power-play, Nick Rhéaume had the puck at the top of the left circle and threw it to Miller again who tipped it to the goal, which was stopped by Monteith, however, the rebound found Simon Labelle in tight at the left side of the goal and shovelled it in to give the Spruce Kings a 2-0 lead. Labelle’s third of the year on the man advantage was assisted by both Rhéaume and Miller at 8:41.
PG: A few moments later in the period, a relentless forecheck from Kolton Cousins ended up forcing a turnover, and the Spruce King captain found Austin Fraser at the left circle and wristed it top corner on the glove side of Monteith to give the Spruce Kings a 3-0 lead. Fraser’s sixth of the season had the lone helper credited to Cousins at 12:17.
SHOTS:
TRA 6 PG 18
2nd PERIOD:
TRA: On a Smoke Eater man advantage, defenceman Evan Bushy spotted Brady Hunter at the right circle, and Hunter fired it through traffic and by Aaron Trotter to get Trail on the board. Hunter’s third of the year had the lone assist credited to Bushy at 7:19 of the second frame.
TRA: Jackson Krill and Quinn Disher played a little bit of a give and go as Krill got the puck in the neutral zone and chipped the puck to Disher who snuck by defenceman Josh Wright in the attacking zone to create an odd man rush, and Disher made a fantastic pass cross ice to Krill who made no mistake, going top cheddar on Trotter to make it a 3-2 game. Krill’s first of the season was assisted by Disher at 10:06.
SHOTS:
TRA 10 PG 13
3rd PERIOD:
TRA: On a Smoke Eater power-play, a drop pass from Quinn Disher at the left circle found Charlie Strobel, who then sprung it cross ice to Connor Michaud on the backdoor and slid it by Trotter to tie the game at three. Michaud’s second of the year from Strobel and Disher came at 12:45 of the third period.
PG: Following a Spruce Kings timeout, they were able to convert on a late powerplay. John Herrington spun the puck to the right point for Dylan Schives, who fired a wrister to the goal and was redirected by Rowan Miller in the slot area to give the Spruce Kings a late lead. Miller’ second of the night and sixth of the season was assisted by both Herrington and Schives at 17:40.
PG: Shortly after the Miller goal, the Spruce Kings went right back to the power-play and was able to convert once again. A John Herrington shot from the top of the left circle was stopped by Monteith, but the rebound came in front to Simon Labelle who made a no look pass to Nick Rhéaume at the right circle and fired the puck home into thewide-open cage to make it 5-3 Prince George. Rhéaume’s team leading ninth of the season was assisted by both Labelle and Herrington at 18:33.