A lot can change in a year just ask the Prince George Spruce Kings.
The Kings (17-13-2-3) wrapped up the 2011 portion of their British Columbia Hockey League schedule Friday, treating the 912 fans at the Coliseum to a 5-2 win over the last-place Trail Smoke Eaters (5-24-1-3), ending the year on a two-game win streak.
Prince George dominated the game with the hapless Smoke Eaters, getting goals from Michael Colantone, Leo Fitzgerald and Chase Golightly, while out shooting the visitors 48-17. But if anyone knows what goaltender Lydon Stanwood and the Smoke Eaters are going through it's the Kings.
When the New Year rang in 2011 the Kings were on their way to a last-place finish in the 16-team BCHL, ending the year with a 13-40-1-6 record for 33 points. Today, Prince George is in the mix for one of four playoff spots in the Interior Conference, along with the second-place Merritt Centennials (19-10-2-5) and the third-place Chilliwack Chiefs (19-12-0-2). The Centennials posted a 1-0 win over the Chiefs on Friday, which leaves the Kings one point in arrears of Chilliwack.
The Smoke Eaters made it interesting in the third period with a pair of goals on three shots, starting with former Kings' centre Connor Tiechko's fifth of the year before Brent Baltus beat Prince George goaltender Ty Swabb with an unassisted blast from the blueline.
But Paul De Jersey took the wind out of the Smoke Eaters' sails with his 28th goal of the season 12 minutes into the final period. The 19 year old picked up his second point of the night a few minutes later, assisting on linemate Jujhar Khaira's 19th goal of the season. Khaira finished the game with three points, while Colantone had two points.
The two points moved De Jersey into top spot in the BCHL scoring leaders with 63 points - one more than Connor Reilly of the league-leaguing Penticton Vees (30-3-0-2). Khaira's three-point night gives him 50 on the season, while Colantone has 47.
Swabb has a 4-1-1 record since joining the Kings in a trade with the AJHL's St. Albert Steel with a .926 save percentage.
Friday's win was the Kings' 11th at the Coliseum this season, which is two more victories than the Kings treated their fans to in all of the 2010-2011 season having posted a 9-17-0-4 record.
The Kings host the Michael King and the Westside Warriors on Thursday and Friday at the Coliseum with the puck drop at 7 p.m.
