Express flattens Spruce Kings

The Prince George Spruce Kings were the instigators of their own fate Sunday afternoon in Coquitlam, where they lost 3-1 to the Express to finish off a three-game B.C. Hockey League road trip.

Ever since they angered the Express by beating them on consecutive nights Sept. 14-15 in Prince George, Coquitlam has done nothing but win hockey games.

The Express reeled off its sixth-straight victory Sunday in front of a sparse crowd of 209 at Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre, defeating the Spruce Kings 3-1. Head coach Adam Maglio admitted fatigue was a factor for a Kings team playing its third road game in less than three days.

“We looked a bit tired today,” said Maglio. “We looked a bit slow and our energy we usually have wasn’t there. They work hard every shift and you’ve got to be energized to play them and you have to push the pace and it was the other way around. You have to make them turn to go after pucks and we didn’t do a good enough job of that.”

Chase Danol’s shorthanded goal 6:06 into the second period gave the Express the lead and Drew Cooper added to the total during a 5-on-3 Coquitlam power play late in the period to finish off the scoring. Alex DiPaolo had the only goal of the opening period, also on an Express power play.

Brad Cooper took the loss in goal as the Kings were outshot 34-23. Kolby Matthews made 22 saves for his fourth win of the season.

Chong Min Lee, in the second period, had the lone goal for the Spruce Kings (6-2-0-1) who dropped to third place in the Mainland Division standings, one point behind Chilliwack and Coquitlam who each sport 7-3-0-0 records atop the BCHL.

Saturday night in Langley, Kings captain Ben Poisson scored his first three goals of the season and defenceman Nick Bochen collected three assists in a 4-3 win over the Langley Rivermen. Poisson’s power-play game-winner came with four minutes left in the third period.

Bochen, a 17-year-old rookie from North Vancouver coveted by several NCAA college teams, helped set up Poisson’s first two goals to stake the Kings to a 2-1 lead six minutes into the second period and defenceman Dylan Anhorn added to the count with an even-strength goal just nine seconds after Poisson’s second goal.

The Rivermen stormed back to tie the game in the third period with goals two minutes apart from Alec Capstick and Garrett Daly, setting the stage for Poisson’s winner.

The Spruce Kings finished the game 3-for-10 on the power play and used their special teams time to build up a 35-24 shot advantage. Langley ended up 1-for-4 on the power play.

Anhorn finished with a goal and an assist and Kings defenceman Layton Ahac collected two assists. William Stromp had the other Langley goal.

Logan Neaton improved his record to 5-00-1 in goal for the Kings, making 21 saves. Braedon Fleming took the loss in net for the Rivermen.

The Spruce Kings started out with a 3-2 loss in a shootout after playing five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime against the Surrey Eagles on Friday.

“That was our first shootout and it’s exciting for the fans,” said Maglio. “It’s tough losing in a shootout but you can’t get too low on those. It turns into that individual battle and takes a bit out of the team game.”

The Spruce Kings will be back on home ice at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena Thursday night when they take on the defending champion Wenatchee Wild in a rematch of last year’s Fred Page Cup final. On Friday they host the Victoria Grizzlies.

Spencer Chapman re-aggravated a hamstring injury from last season in Friday’s game and will be out indefinitely. The 19-year-old Kings winger, a native of Cochrane, Alta., will return home for treatment.

• On Monday, the Spruce Kings announced the acquisition of 17-year-old defenceman Jason Chu from the Surrey Eagles in exchange for future considerations.

Chu, from Coquitlam, is just five games into his BCHL career, including one game last year with the Kings as an affiliated player. This season, he had one goal with the Eagles.

“Jason is a very good young defenceman that we are familiar with,” said Spruce Kings general manager Mike Hawes. “I wanted to add another defenceman who we know can play but also someone who was younger and would be with us for a few seasons. I feel our group of defenceman is very solid and adding a good young player to that mix was the goal.”

Last season, Chu skated in the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League with the Vancouver Northwest Giants. In 40 games, he had four goals and 25 assists.

Chu is expected to be in the lineup when the Spruce Kings host the Wild on Thursday.