Some new nets and light bulbs will likely need to be ordered for the Kopar Memorial Arena after getting an intense workout.
That’s because fans were treated to a pair of offensive showdowns between the Nanaimo Clippers and the Prince George Spruce Kings, with the BCHL’s most northern franchise coming out on top with 7-5 and 9-4 victories Saturday and Sunday.
Defense was optional to put it mildly during the first period of Saturday’s contest with both teams tied at 4-4.
After Carson Lesiuk made it 1-0 Clippers, PG rattled off three consecutive goals courtesy of Spencer Masters, Ben Vreugdenhil and Michael Denney.
The fire wagon hockey continued as Elliott Perreault (Nanaimo) and Evan Bellamy (Spruce Kings) traded goals to make it a 4-2 spread.
Hayden Fechner and Indiana Grossband evened the score for the Clippers, chasing PG goalie Colin Reay from the net.
In the second, both teams settled into it with the goals becoming a little harder to come by.
Kazumo Sasaki made it 5-2 Spruce Kings while on the power-play assisted by Ozbej Rep and Tai Ushio.
Charles Beland put Nanaimo back on even terms before the end of the period notching his fourth of the campaign past Ryder Green.
Ushio and Mason Loewen issued the final blows in the third period lighting the lamp to escape with the hard-fought two points.
Green picked up the win in relief for the Spruce Kings stopping 21 of 22 Clippers pucks while Eliot Seguin-Lescarbeau took the loss in goal for Nanaimo allowing seven goals on 28 shots.
The Spruce Kings went 3-for-5 on the power-play while Nanaimo was 2-for-4.
On Sunday, the 1980’s style fire wagon hockey continued as the Spruce Kings jumped out to a 5-1 lead and never looked back against Nanaimo, enroute to the five-goal victory.
For the second straight day it would be the Clippers striking first as Samuel Boisvert scored on the power-play 90 seconds in.
PG then flicked the switched and scored five straight goals to blow the game open.
Vreugdenhil and Fraser Leonard capped off the first period scoring while Masters, Saskai and Dominik Szcygiel joined the party in period two.
A seven-goal third period kept the fans at the Kopar Memorial Arena on the edge of their seat.
Jack Rimmer opened the scoring 44 seconds in for the Clippers to make it 5-2. Then, Mathis Laplante (Spruce Kings) and Beland (Clippers) traded goals 28 seconds apart.
Ushio notched his seventh of the season to give Prince George its sizeable lead back at 7-3.
Fechner picked up his second in as many games, keeping the Clippers hanging on by a thread.
Ushio and Ryan Wachtel finished off the night with two more goals. Green picked up the victory in goal making 27 saves.
Dryden Reilly stayed in for all nine Spruce Kings goals, picking up the loss on 23 saves for Nanaimo.
The Spruce Kings went 4-for-7 on the man advantage while Nanaimo was 3-for-5.
PG improves to 5-4 on the season and will hit the road next weekend with stops in Chilliwack (Friday) and Surrey (Saturday).
Spruce Kings sit third in the Coastal East Division, four points back of the Coquitlam Express.
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