In their last home game before the Christmas break, the Chilliwack Chiefs saw a six game winning streak end with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Prince George Spruce Kings.
The Chiefs saw a late lead dissipate against their Interior conference rivals, losing to PG for the first time in three meetings this season.
The goaltenders at both ends were busy and good in period one, with plenty of blue-chip chances at both ends.
But the only goal in the opening frame belonged the Prince George, scored on a power play.
With Chilliwack’s Malcolm Gould banished to the sin bin for hooking, California kid Chase Golightly worked off the left-wing boards and threw the puck on net from the faceoff dot. Michael Colantone parked in front, re-directing the puck past Chilliwack netminder Bryton Udy at 15:24.
His 15th sent PG to the second period with the 1-0 lead.
Shots on goal in the first period favoured the Spruce Kings 14-11.
The Chiefs scored twice in the middle frame, with both strikes coming on power plays. Kit Sitterley scored the first, attacking the net from the left corner and roofing a top shelf backhander over PG netminder Ty Swabb.
Derek Huisman scored the second on a good-to-be-lucky, lucky-to-be-good play. The 19-year-old got his team-leading 17th of the year on a bank job, bouncing the puck off Swabb and in from behind the goal-line.
The Chiefs almost had another as Malcolm Gould swooped down the right wing. He lasered a shot from the right faceoff dot that hit the inside of the left goal-post.
Shots on goal through 40 minutes favoured PG 27-20.
The Chiefs came within 3:01 of closing this one out in regulation time. But a defensive breakdown and odd-man rush led to a goal by Surrey native Jujhar Khaira. His 17th of the season, set up by West Vancouver’s Paul de Jersey, sent the game to overtime tied 2-2.
The Spruce Kings completed the comeback with 1:50 remaining in the first OT period. Playing four-on-four hockey, Khaira circled behind the Chilliwack net and fed in front to Gerry Fitzgerald, who bang-banged it past Udy for his sixth of the year and a PG win.
The three stars were Alexandre Perron-Fontaine (Chilliwack, first), Udy (second) and Colantone (third).
Announced attendance was 2,435.
The Chiefs wrap up the pre-Christmas slate with road games in Salmon Arm (tomorrow) and Vernon (Sunday).
The next home game is Dec. 28 against these same Spruce Kings.
