Anything I’ve written lately about preferring Prince George to Langley in the BCHL playoffs?
Forget about it.
Ben Brar scored twice including the overtime winner Sunday night as the Spruce Kings upset the Chilliwack Chiefs 3-2 at Prospera Centre.
Prince George was the better team, deserved the win and will be a feisty foe for whichever team faces them in the postseason.
The Chiefs started so well in this one too, reversing a recent trend of slow starts by jumping out to an early two goal lead.
Connor McCarthy got the first at 10:13. Ben Fanjoy got the assist with a nice rush down the right wing, culiminating with a feed into the goal-mouth. McCarthy banged the puck past PG goalie Aris Anagnostopoulos for his 13th of the year, then set up the second Chilliwack goal.
McCarthy and Kohen Olischefski both snuck behind Spruce Kings defender Connor Russell and McCarthy reeled in a tape-to-tape pass from Kale Kane. Leading a two-on-none rush, the big blueliner saucered the puck to his left and Olischefski punched it into the cage for his 24th of the year.
The visitors got one back on a solo effort by Parker Colley. The speedy Pitt Meadows native darted down the left wing, snapping a hard shot inside the far post behind Chilliwack netminder Mark Sinclair.
Prince George out-shot the Chiefs 12-9 in period one and stepped on the gas in the second period.
The middle frame was maybe the worst Chilliwack has played at home this year.
The Chiefs looked flustered and panicky and surrendered the lead on a Brar power play goal at 15:45. Brar got his stick on a Tyler Anderson one-timer, deflecting the puck past Sinclair for his 20th of the year.
Prince George held a 27-19 lead in shots through 40 minutes.
The next goal didn’t come until three on three overtime.
Brar crashed the crease with the puck, falling down in the process. But with Sinclair lying flat on his stomach and Olischefski unable to tie up his stick Brar was able to nudge the puck across the line.
The loss doesn’t end Chilliwack’s hopes of catching the Wenatchee Wild for first place in the Mainland division, at least not according to last year’s tiebreakers. Head to head should be the difference if the teams end up tied, but the Chiefs now have to win their last two games of the regular season next weekend and hope the Wild lose twice in Langley.
The three stars were McCarthy (first), Anagnostopolous (second) and Olischefski (third).
The Fortis BC Energy Player of the Game was Tommy Lee.
Announced attendance was 3103.
