The Prince George Spruce Kings love winning so much, they decided to pick up another victory on Valentine’s Day.
A two-assist effort from leading scorer Ethan de Jong paced Prince George to its 30th win of the season, outlasting the Trail Smoke Eaters by a 3-1 score.
It didn’t take long for the hosts to get on the score sheet as Blake Hayward shovelled home a shot that fooled Smoke Eaters netminder Adam Marcoux for a 1-0 edge at the end of 20 minutes.
The 19-year-old from Vancouver is filing in on the top line with de Jong and Ben Brar after regular line mate Ben Poisson suffered a season-ending injury on Saturday against Coquitlam.
De Jong says the power forward should fit in like a glove.
“Offensively he’s tremendous, he arguably has the best shot on the team again and he’s got a great wrist shot and were always looking for him in the offensive zone and he doesn’t need a second chance he’ll bury it the first shot he gets so its huge to have him on our line.”
Prince George now moves to within a single point of its first Division title since joining the BCHL
21 years ago.
“We just want that point, it would huge for this team, this club and that is what we want so we’re not going to stop until we get it.”
Jarod Hovde added the Spruce Kings second goal on the power-play in the middle frame over the shoulder of Marcoux putting the hosts up a pair.
In the third, Tyler Ghiradosi tapped home a rebound past Prince George goaltender Evan DeBrouwer cutting the deficit back down to one.
Brar iced the victory with less than a minute left and restoring the two-goal edge.
Shots were even at 30 each.
A five-game road trip awaits the Spruce Kings starting on Friday against the Surrey Eagles before facing the last place Coquitlam Express on Saturday.
The team received some help from the out of town scoreboard as Langley fell 4-1 to the Merritt Centennials while both Surrey and Chilliwack were idle.
Playoff games at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena are slated for March 2nd and 3rd with the opponent yet to be determined.