Sometimes to take down a top team, you got to get your nose dirty.
In a battle of sheer grit and determination, the Prince George Spruce Kings banded together for their gutsiest win of the season, a 3-2 triumph over the Coastal Conference leading Surrey Eagles in front of 993 fans at the Kopar Memorial Arena.
After a choppy start to the game, where both teams failed to register a shot in the opening ten minutes, the Spruce Kings found some chinks in the Eagles game by grinding them along the wall and forcing their skilled players to compete in their own zone.
Alexis Cournoyer scored the game’s opening goal by getting to the top of the crease and tapping in a Trent Ballentyne point shot past Eagles netminder Ajeet Gundarah.
Seven minutes later, Surrey struck back as Zachary Wagnon who caught Spruce Kings netminder Ryan Sanborn off-balance tying the game at 1-1.
The tight checking affair continued into the third – this time special teams would prove to be crucial.
A faceoff win by Owen Goodbrand let to a fluttering point shot by Swedish blueliner Max Ranstrom on the man advantage who handcuffed Gundarah putting the Spruce Kings back on top.
PG’s power-play would continue to play a determining factor as an ill-advised pinch by Linden Makow led to a 2-on-1 rush for the Eagles as Sid McNeil ripped a wrist shot shorthanded to even the score.
Undeterred, the Spruce Kings put their work boots back on and got another ugly one. A shot by Scott Cousins found its way near the crease area and onto the stick of JR Perdion who slapped into past a sprawled out Gundarah.
When the final buzzer sounded, Surrey outshot PG 29-27. However, the Spruce Kings went 2-for-4 on the power-play while the Eagles were 0-for-3.
PG improves to 6-11-3-0, eighth in the Interior Conference, two points back of the Cranbrook Bucks.
Cranbrook (8-13-1-0) defeated the Spruce Kings 4-1 on Friday.
Before the BCHL flips the calendar to December, the Langley Rivermen (7-14-1-0) make a mid-week trip to the Kopar Memorial Arena to play the Spruce Kings on Wednesday. Puck drop is set for 7pm.
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