The Prince George Spruce Kings are BC Hockey League champions for the first time.
The Kings captured their first Fred Page Cup with a 3-1 victory over the Vernon Vipers, winning the series in a 4 game sweep.
CHAMPS! @SpruceKings pic.twitter.com/ctTs5wZqDu
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) April 18, 2019
The Cariboo club had a remarkable playoff run, posting 16 wins and just one loss, and reeling off 13 straight wins after losing one game to the Coquitlam Express in the first round.
The Kings, who joined the BCHL in the 1996-97 season, made it to last year’s final before losing to the Wenatchee Wild in 5 games.
Ben Poisson, with his 13th of the playoffs, Nolan Welsh and Patrick Cozzi into an empty net, scored for PG in game 4 while Logan Neaton stood tall in net, making 18 saves.
Teddy Wooding was the only Viper to beat Neaton.
The Vipers are 0-8 in their last two BCHL Finals, this year, and in 2014 when they were swept by the Coquitlam Express.
“I don’t think there is that big of a difference between the two hockey teams. We just didn’t get the bounces or the timely scoring we needed, but I’m extremely proud of this hockey team,” said Vipers head coach and GM Mark Ferner who says they can bring 14 players back for next season.
Six Vipers saw their junior hockey careers come to a close including captain Jagger Williamson who played for five seasons for Vernon, which had Coach Ferner tearing up after the game on the Beach Radio post game show.
“He is exactly what you want in a hockey player and a captain. And a tremendous leader in the community, so just a great privilege,” said Ferner.
With the win, the Spruce Kings qualify for the RBC Cup in Brooks Alberta due to the host team, the Brooks Bandits, winning the Alberta League title.
The Kings and Bandits will still play the best of 7 Doyle Cup series as a tuneup for the RBC.
Photo courtesy BC Hockey League/Twitter
