Ben Brar (#18) celebrates a goal for the Prince George Spruce Kings on home ice (via Chuck Chin Photography)“Roses are red,
Spruce Kings sweaters are blue.
Ben Brar showed fans some love,
and set a career-high too.”
The 20-year-old led the way in the Prince George Spruce Kings’ 5-2 win over the West Kelowna Warriors at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena (RMCA), scoring his first BCHL hat-trick in the process.
Prince George’s winning streak has now reached nine games with four remaining in the 2018-19 season.
Thursday night’s (Feb. 14) first goal, potted by Brar, helped him eclipse 30 goals for the first time in his Junior ‘A’ career, coming less than six minutes into the first frame.
His second of the contest regained the one-goal lead for Prince George after West Kelowna tied it up early in the second.
Spruce Kings’ captain Ben Poisson was able to extend the advantage to 3-1 after 40 minutes of play with his 19th of the season with 38 seconds left.
A milestone also came for American import Jay Keranen, who scored his first BCHL regular-season marker halfway through the third period.
FIRST OF THE YEAR!
— Spruce Kings (@SpruceKings) February 15, 2019
🚨Jay Keranen
🍎Dylan Anhorn
🍎Nick Poisson
4-1 Spruce Kings.
This is also his first BCHL Regular Season Goal (he scored some big playoff goals though last year)
The lad was cut in half to two (4-2) by West Kelowna’s Chase Dubois, a Williams Lake native and former Cariboo Cougar, but it wouldn’t matter as Brar was able to light the lamp for the 32nd time this year on a empty net with 100 seconds left.
Forward Patrick Cozzi was also broke Warriors’ hearts, displaying a four-point performance by assisting on all but one of Prince George’s goals.
Logan Neaton continues to set the new bar high for future Spruce King goaltenders with his 30th victory of the season, stopping 26 of 28 shots.
With the team’s 21st win at the RMCA this year, they’re now two wins away from recording its best season on home ice in recent recorded history.
Before they go for that feat, Prince George will hit the road one last time for the Family Day weekend, playing in Chilliwack on Sunday (Feb. 17) and in Surrey on Monday (Feb. 18).
Puck-drop for both contests is 2 p.m.
The Spruce Kings are also two points behind the Chilliwack Chiefs for first in the Mainland Division with a record of 36-12-1-5.
