The Westside Warriors top line accounted for five of their six goals but it was the work of the checking line which drew just as much acclaim in a 6-2 victory over the high-flying Prince George Spruce Kings Saturday at Royal LePage Place.
The line of Shawn Hocchausen, Reid Simmonds and Brett McKinnon put a blanket over the number one offensive unit in the BC Hockey League, holding them to just one goal and very few clean scoring chances.
"We certainly know who they are, there's three guys in the top 10 in scoring and we wanted to get the Hochausen line out against them," says Warriors head coach Rylan Ferster.
"We were able, obviously being at home, to get the last change and it worked out well for us."
Only Paul De Jersey, second in league scoring, was able to beat Warriors netminder Steven Racine, his tally coming in the dying second of the first period to briefly tie the game at 2-2.
It was the Warriors number one line of Connor Dempsey, Tyler Krause and Richard Vanderhoek which dominated the contest combining for five goals and 11 points.
Krause led the way with two goals and three assists, Vanderhoek had two goals and an assist while Dempsey chipped in with three assists.
"They were good. When you have three guys like that eventually they're going to score and get chances. Obviously Connor Dempsey is such an easy guy to play with because he works so well up and down the ice," says Ferster.
"(Tyler) Krause knows where to go one the ice and with Vandy (Vanderhoek) he's a hard worker, a big strong guy and they all seem to complement each other pretty good."
Michael King with a wrist shot from the point late in the second and Travis Blanleil on a breakaway midway through the third also scored for the Warriors.
The three have never played with each other and Krause says the last week of practice helped them come together as a unit.
"A week of practice gives you a lot of chances to know where your linemates are going, where they're going to be on the ice, their favourite spots, what they like to do, their patterns," says Krause.
"It just helps being able to practice it all week then come into two games."
Warriors forward Seb Lloyd left the game late in the third period with an undisclosed injury after taking a bone-jarring hit from PG defenceman Trevor Esau.
Lloyd gives up six inches and about 40 pounds to the much taller Easu who caught the Warrior rookie with his head down at the Spruce Kings blue line.
Steven Racine turned aside 26 shots in registering his seventh win of the season.
The Warriors, winners of two in a row, finish their six game home-stand 3-2-0-1.
They sit third all by themselves in the Interior Conference, two points up on Merritt and Prince George and just a single point in back of Vernon.
They now hit the road for games in Powell River, Cowichan and Penticton before returning home to host the Trail Smoke Eaters Sunday afternoon, November 6 at 2:30 p.m.
