Spruce Kings open camp Friday

The shortest off-season in the 46-year history of the Prince George Spruce Kings officially ends Friday with the start of training camp at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.

The Spruce Kings advanced to the B.C. Hockey League championship series for the first time since they joined the league in 1996 and got as far as Game 5 before the Wenatchee Wild ended their title hopes.

That was back on April 19 and it marked the longest spring the Kings have ever had on the ice, dating back to their days in the Peace-Cariboo and Rocky Mountain junior hockey leagues.

Just four months later, school is back in session this week for the team, Fourteen players are back from last year’s mostsuccessful squad, which won the Mainland Division regularseason and playoff titles, then captured the Coastal Conference championship.

This weekend’s 40-player camp will include three games in three days and four practice sessions. The team will be divided into two squads – Red and Blue – for practices Friday at 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 and 2:15 p.m.

The Spruce Kings will play intrasquad games Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Camp will conclude Sunday at 10 a.m. with an intrasquad game.

The preseason starts next Wednesday at 7 p.m. at RMCA when the Kings host the Merritt Centennials. The same teams meet in Merritt on Friday.

The Kings begin their 22nd BCHL season at home on Sept. 7, the first of a doubleheader against the RBC Cup-champion Chilliwack Chiefs.