BCHL Playoffs

Spruce Kings wrap up series against Bucks with overtime win

Apr 9, 2022 | 10:16 PM

CRANBROOK — Rowan Miller was the hero on two occasions Saturday night in Cranbrook for the Prince George Spruce Kings as they went on to win 3-2 in overtime, advancing to the next round of the BCHL playoffs with a 4-2 series win.

The opening period went scoreless, however, it was not for a lack of trying. The Spruce Kings piled on the shots on Bucks’ Nathan Airey, outshooting their opponents 23-10.

The action picked up in the second period.

6:14 into the period, Declan Ride came up with the ice-breaking goal on the power play to put Cranbrook ahead 1-0. Johnny Johnson and Noah Quinn assisted the play.

Less than a minute later, the Spruce Kings responded. Evan Fedele answered back with an unassisted goal to knot the scoreboard up.

Continuing to have costly penalties, the Bucks capitalized on the Spruce Kings undisciplined play and pulled ahead with yet another power play marker. Tyson Dyck had the hot stick this time around, with Rhys Bentham and Quinn earning the assists.

Ahead of the midway mark of the third, and Cranbrook holding onto their 2-1 lead, Bucks’ Zeth Kindrachuk was tossed out of the game with a misconduct after charging Spruce Kings’ goalie Aaron Trotter for the second time this series.

Trotter was forced to leave the game with an injury from Kindrachuk’s actions, leading to Jordan Fairlie coming off the bench cold and stepping in between the pipes for Prince George.

As the game continued, Fairlie got settled in quick as the Spruce Kings stepped the pressure up.

Late in the third, Rowan Miller came up with the game-tying score off a feed from Nick Rheaume. Dylan Schives also assisted on the play. The goal would later see the game head off to an overtime period.

In overtime, back and forth action saw chances go either way. But with under six and a half minutes remaining, the Spruce Kings moved in transition. Simon Labelle sprung Miller through a triangle of Bucks defenders, before racing to the goal and beating Airey for his second goal of the game and the series-winner in overtime, punching the Spruce Kings ticket to the second round of the BCHL Playoffs.

The Spruce Kings will now wait to see how the series between the Salmon Arm Silverbacks and Wenatchee Wild plays out. That series heads to a Game 7 after the Wild won 5-1 on Saturday.

If the Wild pull off the upset and win the series, then the Spruce Kings will take on the West Kelowna Warriors in the second round. If the Silverbacks win, then the Spruce Kings will take on the Penticton Vees.