As expected, it took awhile for the Prince George Spruce Kings to find their legs, playing a meaningful game for the first time in over a year.
A two-goal first period from Abram Wiebe and Kyle Penney paced the Chilliwack Chiefs to a 4-1 victory over the Spruce Kings on Saturday from the Chilliwack Coliseum.
Abram Wiebe with an absolute SNIPE?
His first career BCHL goal makes it 1-0 #ChwkChiefs
? Rylance (@NMUHockey)
?Getz (@Unionmhockey) pic.twitter.com/k2wIgLk6WK— Chilliwack Chiefs (@Chiefs_Hockey) April 4, 2021
PG was outshot 15-9 after 20 minutes of play but picked up the pace in the final two periods only to be stonewalled by Chiefs netminder Mathieu Caron who made 25 saves in the victory.
Former Vancouver Giant and Medicine Hat Tiger Trevor Longo made it a 3-0 Chilliwack lead after two periods.
Andrew Seaman broke the shutout bid for Caron who tallied a power-play marker at 16:02 of the third period.
The Spruce Kings pulled goaltender Aaron Trotter late in the frame for the extra-attacker, however, Ray Fust slapped home an empty-netter to improve the Chiefs record to 2-0 during the Pod season.
Fust, who is a Swiss-Canadian forward, played for Switzerland at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Edmonton over the Holiday season.
Chilliwack outshot PG 28-26 overall.
In a penalty-filled affair, both teams went a combined 2-for-15 on the power-play.
The Spruce Kings (0-1) are back in action tomorrow (Sunday) against the Merritt Centennials (0-1) in Chilliwack.
Puck drop is slated at 5pm.
The shortened-season has gotten off to a rocky start for the Centennials who saw their bus brake down three different times on Friday, before falling 5-2 to the Chiefs.
Brandon Dent, Blake Astorino and Alex Ochitwa of PG all play for Merritt.
Caron absolutely dialled in… keeps it 3-0 #ChwkChiefs pic.twitter.com/53o9xqNKNp
— Chilliwack Chiefs (@Chiefs_Hockey) April 4, 2021