Spruce Kings Outlast Nanaimo 7-5

The Spruce Kings scored four times in the first, once in the second, and twice in the third to come away with a 7-5 victory over the Nanaimo Clippers on Saturday at Kopar Memorial Arena.

It was the Clippers that got on the board first as Carson Lesiuk took the puck to the net and was able to get it past Colin Reay and over the line to make it 1-0.

The Spruce Kings responded at 5:29 of the opening frame as Spencer Masters scored his first BCHL goal as he was the recipient of a pass in front from Ryan Wachtel and made no mistake to tie the game. Trent LeDrew picked up the second assist.

Moments after a video review for a major penalty against Ben Vreugdenhil that was completely rescinded, Vreugdenhil rushed down the left wing and snapped one past Eliot Séguin-Lescarbeau up high to make it 2-1 as Kazumo Sasaki and Ozbej Rep grabbed the assists.

Michael Denney made it 3-1 at 9:18 from Vreugdenhil and Carter Hesselgrave which started off a wild series of events.

Denney would be penalized five seconds after the ensuing faceoff, and the Clippers Elliot Perreault scored his 6th of the season just 6 seconds into the man advantage.

Evan Bellamy would respond in his first game back as a Spruce King just 33 seconds later beating Séguin-Lescarbeau with a point shot after Masters won the faceoff. It was 4-2 Prince George at 10:02 of the first. 

Hayden Fechner scored on the power play at 13:39, and just 6 seconds after that a lengthy delay would be caused from a penalty box door latch which broke when Robby Hoch was hit into it.

An early intermission was called, and when the teams returned to finish the first, Indiana Grossbard tied the game at 4, and Brad Tesink elected to make a goalie change, bringing in Ryder Green.

After the short break between periods, it would take 12:58 of the second before the next goal was scored, as Sasaki got his 6th of the season from Rep and Ushio.

The Clippers responded as Charles Béland tied it back up at 5 apiece from Perreault and Tanner Bruender.

In the third, Tai Ushio broke the tie at 12:14 from Marcus Lougheed and Sasaki, and Mason Loewen added an empty netter to seal the game.

Green would stop 20 of 21 in relief to earn the victory.

The two teams meet again Sunday at 3:00 PM. Tickets available at https://www.showpass.com/pgsk1019nanaimo/