A day after they had the plug pulled on their league-leading power play, the Prince George Spruce Kings were back at it, making B.C. Hockey League opponents pay for taking penalties.
The Kings scored twice with the man advantage to break out to a 2-0 lead over the Merritt Centennials and never looked back, winning 5-2 Saturday at Nicola Valley Memorial Arena.
John Herrington got the Kings started 4:50 into the game and Simon Labelle doubled the lead 14 minutes into the opening period, before Merritt forward Jacob Dewitt converted a Merritt power-play chance and scored on goalie Jordan Fairlie.
In the second period, Nick Rheaume collected his team-leading eighth goal of the season and his Kings’ teammate Jimmy Doyle made it a 4-1 count before the period was three minutes old.
Prince George captain Kolton Cousins and Cents’ Jacksenn Hungle, on a power play, traded goals in the third period to complete the scoring.
Labelle also drew two assists for a three-point game.
Fairlie made 23 saves to improve his record to 5-2 as the Kings outshot the Cents 39-25. Keegan Maddocks, in his BCHL debut, took the loss. The Cents (0-7-0-0-0) remained last in the Interior Conference.
The Spruce Kings went 2-for-5 on the power play, while Merritt finished 2-for-4.
The win left the Spruce Kings (7-2-0-0-0) tied with the Penticton Vees (7-1-0-0-0), each with a league-leading 14 points.
The Vees annihilated the Powell River Kings 15-1 Saturday.
Penticton centre Brett Moravec collected a goal and six assists, while winger Bradley Nadeau finished with four goals and two assists.
The Spruce Kings visited Penticton on Friday and lost 3-0 to the Vees. They’ll back in action on home ice at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena on Wednesday when they host the West Kelowna Warriors.
