The Prince George Spruce Kings continued their mastery over the Coquitlam Express at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena (RMCA), skating to a 4-2 victory on Friday.
Goals by Ben Brar, Ben Poisson, Kyle Johnson, and Ethan de Jong paced Prince George offensively who outshot the Express 36-17 overall.
BINGO! 3-1 Spruce Kings on the PP
?Ben Poisson (12)
?Layton AhacOne-timer for the marker!
— Spruce Kings (@SpruceKings) November 25, 2017
The game turned it to a battle of the special teams, an edge given to the Spruce Kings since half of their goals either came on the power-play or shorthanded.
Johnson says the potential was there for a more lopsided victory, had it not been for 20-year-old Coquitlam netminder and former Saskatoon Blade Brock Hamm.
“We had the chance to make the lead a little wider at times and they’re goalie kept them in there, credit to him (Hamm) but I think we can do more for sure.”
“However, we did outcompete them in all zones, five-on-five we won a lot of battles and got up ice quickly and had sustained pressure in their zone and that’s a big thing for us to outcompete teams like that.”
The win certainly had some sentimental value attached to it since it was the first game against the Express for newly-acquired forward Blake Hayward who recorded 29 points for Coquitlam last season.
“It’s an emotional experience playing your old team for the first time but I was super-excited to see all those guys and especially to come out and beat them, I was really happy with that.”
With just two points in his first five games since being acquired, Hayward admits he’s still adjusting to life as a Spruce King.
“I think I am fitting in well but I need to start producing more points, I have to put up some more numbers. I had a wide-open net and I just missed it.”
The Spruce Kings improve to 13-10-2-3 on the season and will play the rematch against Coquitlam Saturday at 7PM from the RMCA.
Spruce Kings Win!!!!! 4-2 the final! pic.twitter.com/Z7q0KPqaDZ
— Spruce Kings (@SpruceKings) November 25, 2017