The high-flying Prince George Spruce Kings broke open a tight hockey game with three unanswered goals in the third period Friday in beating the Westside Warriors 4-1 before more than 1,200 fans at Royal LePage Place.
Prince George came into the game losers of just one game during the month of February and 7-1-1 over their last nine. With the victory, they remain three points in back of second place Merritt and move four clear of fourth place Chilliwack in the Interior Conference.
Brett McKinnon staked the Warriors to a 1-0 lead just 11 seconds into the hockey game.
McKinnon took a perfect pass at the Spruce Kings line, broke in all alone and beat a surprised Ty Swabb high to the blocker side for his sixth of the season.
The Warriors were unable to generate much in the way of good scoring chances the rest of the way against a big, physical Spruce Kings defence.
"I thought we played pretty well for the most part. Again the shots aren't indicative," says Warriors coach Rylan Ferster.
"I thought we played pretty good."
Prince George outshot the Warriors 42-26 including a 30-13 edge over the final 40 minutes when the Spruce Kings were the better team.
"I think the one goal in the second period was unfortunate then you get a bad bounce somewhere else and that just seems to be the difference."
Leo Fitzgerald took advantage of that unfortunate break midway through the second period to even the game at 1-1 exactly two minutes after the Warriors were assessed a minor penalty.
Michael Colantone scored what proved to be the winner 10 minutes into the third when his shot through a maze of bodies somehow found the top corner behind a screened Dwayne Rodrigue.
Chase Golightly iced it on a PG power-play six minutes later before Jarryd Ten Vaanholt wrapped up the scoring into an empty net.
Ferster and Spruce Kings head coach Dave Dupas got into a heated exchange at the glass separating the two benches during the final minute of the game.
Both coaches were sent to their dressing rooms for the final 46 seconds.
Ferster didn't want to comment on the incident after the game.
The Warriors have just five games remaining in the regular season.
They host Trail Saturday before closing out the home portion of their schedule next weekend when they entertain Chilliwack Friday and Vernon Saturday.
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Check out The General’s Report for extensive coverage of the Westside Warriors.
