The Langley Rivermen are in must-win mode.
The junior A hockey club is facing elimination after a 5-4 overtime loss to the Prince George Spruce Kings in game five of their best-of-seven BCHL Mainland Division semifinal series on Monday night at the Langley Events Centre.
The series shifts to Prince George Coliseum for game six tonight (Tuesday, March 10). A Langley victory would force a seventh and deciding game on March 11 at Langley’s George Preston Recreation Centre.
The winner of the series plays the Chilliwack Chiefs in the Mainland Division final.
In game five, it was the Prince George special teams which powered them to victory as they scored twice with the man advantage and once more while short-handed.
The Spruce Kings won despite getting outshot 32-22.
Prince George’s Chad Staley was the overtime hero as he put his shot top corner blocker side of Rivermen goalie Bo Didur at 8:56 of overtime.
It was Staley’s second goal and fourth point of the night.
Langley was down a man at the time, the second time in the extra period they found themselves short-handed.
Prior to that, the teams had traded goals throughout the game.
The Spruce Kings struck first for the fourth time in five games as Cole McCaskill opened the scoring in the first period.
Langley answered back with goals from Jake Kearley — the defenceman was playing up front as the Rivermen were without Gage Torrel and Marcus Vela — and Matthew Graham.
Michael Buonincontri tied the score prior to intermission.
The Rivermen would twice take one-goal leads in the third period only to have Prince George strike right back.
Graham’s second of the night made it 3-2 early in the third but Staley tied it short-handed a few minutes later.
And after Langley captain Kevan Kilistoff made it 4-3 with a power-play goal, Buonincontri struck back 16 seconds later.
Kilistoff finished with a goal and two helpers.
