Saturday night was a success for the Prince George Spruce Kings, welcoming the top team in the Coastal Conference, the Surrey Eagles.
After losing to the Cranbrook Bucks Friday, the Spruce Kings bounced back Saturday, beating the Eagles 3-2.
The first ten minutes of the game saw tight checking and very little offence. Neither team would record their first shot of the game until halfway through the frame. The final 10 minutes saw chances for the Eagles and the Spruce Kings, but neither team would capitalize. 0-0, the score after 20 minutes of play.
It didn’t take long for the Spruce Kings to strike in the second period. Alexis Cournoyer (‘03) would score the opening goal 33 seconds after the faceoff. Trent Ballentyne (‘04) let a shot go from the blue line that was deflected right to Cournoyer’s stick. The tap-in would be the 20-year-old’s fifth goal of the season.
Surrey would score once in the second period, as well. 1-1, after the second period.
The Spruce Kings also scored first in the third period. Max Ranström (‘04) would score his fourth goal of the season on the power play. A shot from the point hit the Eagles starting goalie, Ajeet Gundarah (‘03), and flutter high above the goal before falling into the back of it.
The Spruce Kings would go back to the power play again with under nine and a half minutes left in the third period. Ty Brassington (‘04) would be called for slashing. Plenty would ensue in the following two minutes.
First, Sid McNeil (‘04) would tie the game short-handed. Surrey would break away on a two-on-one, and Caden Cranston (‘04) would feed McNeil, who threw the puck past Spruce Kings starting goalie, Ryan Sanborn (‘05).
Less than a minute later, the Spruce Kings would take their lead back. J.R. Perdion (‘03) would bang home a puck that bounced off the chest of Gundarah. The goal is Perdion’s fifth of the season.
The Spruce Kings shut down the Eagles attack in the final eight minutes of the game, skating away with a 3-2 victory.