Cleanup crew
Prince George Spruce Kings players make piles of the tuques, socks, mittens and teddy bears that were thrown onto the ice at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena on Friday night as the Spruce Kings held their annual Drop the Mitts and Sock it to ’Em event in support of the St. Vincent de Paul society. Chong Ming Lee scored the Spruce Kings’ opening goal, which sent the donations flying over the glass.
Chong Min Lee had no need to undress the Alberni Valley Bulldogs to unleash a closet full of clothes onto the ice Friday at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
The 18-year-old Prince George Spruce Kings right winger’s fourth goal of the season came off a routine rebound and it was what everyone was waiting for. A majority of the crowd of 1,143 came to the rink to support the Drop the Gloves and Sock It To ’Em promotion to restock the coffers of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Lee was only too happy to oblige.
He was standing just off the post and got his stick on a puck that deflected off linemate Blake Hayward, after Jarod Hovde let go a wrist shot from the slot. Lee’s goal, 2:03 into the second period, did not stand as the game-winner but it was a sign of good things to come for the Spruce Kings.
They put two more shots behind goalie John Hawthorne before the period ended and went on to beat the Bulldogs 4-1.
“Hovde got the shot on net and it hit the dman and I just saw it and shot it – it was a really open net,” said Lee, who snapped an 11game scoring drought. “It’s been a long time since I got the last goal so it feels really good. It feels nice to see people throwing (clothes) on the ice. We don’t see that in Korea.”
Lee was away two weeks ago trying out for the Korean under-20 team but declined the spot that was offered so he could return to the BCHL with the Spruce Kings.
“He left to compete with the world junior team in Korea and ever since he’s been back he’s been real good, so that might have jumpstarted him a bit,” said Kings head coach Adam Maglio. “He certainly shot the puck well tonight and it was a well-deserved goal. I thought that line was really good.”
Tyler Vanuden tied it for the Bulldogs on a 2-on-1 tap-in but it wasn’t long before the Kings were in front again. Patrick Cozzi put a shot off the goalpost and the puck ricocheted off the skate of Hawthorne and in, 9:15 into the period.
A face-off win led to the third Kings’ goal. Chays Ruddy gained the puck at the far blueline and spotted Ben Brar breaking through the middle between Bulldog defencemen Connor Welsh and Ezra Paddock and was in home-free, threading the puck high into the mesh behind Hawthorne for his 13th of the season.
That came just 24 seconds before the second period ended and it had an obvious demoralizing effect on the Bulldogs. They knew they were in tough being two goals down with just a period to play against a Kings team that’s tied with Penticton for the best home record in the B.C. Hockey League. Friday’s win improved the Kings to 13-2-1-1 this season on home ice and 1710-3-2 overall.
“I think when you can build a few wins at home like we did it gives the guys confidence in the building and they get into a pretty good routine at home,” said Maglio.
Hovde had the only goal of the third period into an empty net. The Kings owned the puck in the final frame, outshooting the Bulldogs 15-2.
“Our start wasn’t as we wanted but the second and third, especially the third, we really outplayed them and dominated,” said Cozzi. “That was a good win and we just have to do the same thing (Saturday).”
The Kings host the Wenatchee Wild tonight (7 p.m.) in their final home game before the nine-day Christmas break. Prince George remains three points behind Langley for first place in the Mainland Division.
LOOSE PUCKS: The Kings were without two of their top forwards with C Kyle Johnson (a Yale recruit) and RW Ethan de Jong (Quinnipiac) playing for Canada West at the World Junior Challenge in Truro, N.S. D Layton Ahac, 16, also attended the Canada West tryout camp in Calgary as a late injury replacement but did not make the team and returned to Prince George on Wednesday. In pre-tournament play Friday in Amherst, N.S, de Jong scored the winning goal in a 4-2 comeback victory over Russia. De Jong’s goal came 4:08 into the third period. He also assisted on a goal in the second period which tied the game 2-2. Canada West opens the six-team tournament Sunday against the Czech Republic.