The BC Hockey League’s second-round series between the Surrey Eagles and Prince George Spruce Kings is coming back to the Lower Mainland.
The Spruce Kings, who trailed the best-of-seven showdown 3-1 heading to Thursday night’s contest on their home ice, extended the series with a 4-1 victory. Game 6 is set for Saturday night at South Surrey Arena.
Should the Eagles win – they’ve yet to lose to the Spruce Kings on home ice in 2017/18, in regular-season or playoffs – they’ll advance to the Coastal Conference finals against the winner of the Island Division finals, which are currently underway between the Powell River Kings and Victoria Grizzlies, with Powell River up 3-1.
Thursday at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena, the Spruce Kings opened the scoring midway through the first period on a goal from Kyle Johnson. In the second period, they extended the lead to 3-0 on a power-play tally from Dustin Manz and, just 40 seconds later, on a strange goal from Blake Hayward, who was credited with his first of the playoffs after the puck took a strange bounce and went right over the head of Eagles’ goalie Mario Cavaliere.
In the third, Prince George went up 4-0 on a goal from Patrick Cozzi – just 48 seconds into the period – before the Eagles were able to get onto the board, thanks to a Desi Burgart goal at the 11:56 mark.
Burgart’s goal boosts his playoff total to 10 in just 11 games – nearly halfway to the 22 he scored during 53 regular-season games.
Puck drop for Game 6 is set for 7 p.m. at South Surrey Arena. If a Game 7 is necessary, it will be played in Prince George Sunday night.