The Prince George Spruce Kings have now lost six in a row.
The red, white and blue fell to the league-leading Express in Coquitlam by a score of 4-1 today (Dec. 18) during a school-day game in front of almost 1,400 students from the Tri-City area.
Defenceman Nick Bochen scored the lone goal of the afternoon for Prince George, a day after officially committing to Quinnipiac University for NCAA Division One hockey.
The 18-year-old’s third of the 2019-20 season came 6:27 into the final frame, but it only cut his team’s deficit to 3-1 after the Spruce Kings fell 3-0 after the opening stanza.
Andrew Seaman and Ryan McAllister assisted on Bochen’s tally.
After Coquitlam retained their three-goal lead four-and-a-half minutes later and then, goaltender Carter Woodside was pulled late in the period to muster any hope of a comeback, but time ran out on the defending BCHL champions.
All three Express markers in the first period came within a span of 1:33 with one coming on a power-play and another potted by Ethan O’Rourke, a Prince George product with 56 games with the Cougars on his resume.
Woodside made 27 saves on 31 shots in the setback.
The Spruce Kings’ record now drops to 11-21-2-3 on the year.
This was Prince George’s third straight loss against Coquitlam after getting swept this past weekend on home ice and have subsequently lost every game in December thus far.
The ‘Kings have two more chances to fight their way out of this month's slump when they head to Surrey on Friday (Dec. 20) and Langley on Sunday (Dec. 22).
Brad Ong fights Cole Leal Dec 18 vs Prince George https://t.co/ur2YJoR49X via @YouTube @BCHLExpress
— Eddie Gregory (@EddieGregory81) December 18, 2019
