Derek Huisman scored twice and Mitch Gillam made 33 saves in a 4-2 Chiefs victory over the Prince George Spruce Kings Friday night in Prince George.
The win moves the Chiefs to within one point of the Spruce Kings who hold down third place in the Interior Conference. Chilliwack has played two fewer games than Prince George.
After scoring the only three goals in the third period of the previous night’s 5-2 victory over the Chiefs, the Spruce Kings kept the momentum going and opened the scoring with just 45 seconds gone in the first period. Leo Fitzgerald was left all alone in front and one timed Jarryd Ten Vaanholt’s pass behind Mitch Gillam.
The Chiefs got the equalizer against the flow of play. With ten minutes gone in the first and the Chiefs being outshot 8-2, the line of Trevor Hills, Kit Sitterley and Spencer Graboski took advantage of a defensive miscue in the Prince George zone to tie the game at one. Graboski, left all alone in the slot made no mistake with the pass from Kit Sitterley, putting the puck behind Spruce Kings netminder Kirk Thompson. Hills also assisted on the goal, Graboski’s sixth of the season.
With seven minutes gone in the middle period the Spruce Kings ran into some penalty trouble. With Ben Matthews and Paul De Jersey both off serving minor penalties, Derek Huisman gave the Chiefs a 2-1 lead when he found the back of the net from what looked like an impossible angle to the right of the Spruce Kings goal. David Thompson and Malcolm Gould assisted.
Chilliwack finished the second period killing consecutive minor penalties to Thompson and Alex Perron Fontaine. Prince George came close to evening the score with the man advantage but Chiefs defenseman Matt Hutchinson swept the puck off the Chiefs goal line to keep the score 2-1 Chilliwack after forty minutes.
Derek Huisman’s second of the night and team leading 22nd of the season gave the Chiefs a 3-1 lead with three minutes gone in the third period. Huisman’s shot from thirty feet out didn’t have much steam on it but it had enough to fool Thompson. David Bondra and Gould earned the helpers.
With seven minutes left in the third, the Spruce Kings thought they scored a power play goal to make it 3-2. The shot hit both posts but did not cross the goal line and was immediately waved off by the officials. Kings defenseman Ben Woodley was given a ten minute misconduct for arguing the call.
The Kings did make it 3-2 on a power play goal with five minutes left in the third. Myles Fitgerald showed great hand eye coordination in deflecting Ben Matthews’ point shot behind Gillam.
Spruce Kings forward Paul De Jersey hit the post with three minutes left. That was as close as Prince George got.
An empty net goal by Malcolm Gould with 1:13 left finished the scoring.
Next up for the Chiefs are the Westside Warriors who visit Chilliwack Sunday. Game time is 5pm. Fans are reminded that following the game they are invited to join Chiefs players for a post game skate. Skate rentals will be available.
Sunday is also minor hockey night. For details on discounted tickets please visit the Chilliwack Minor Hockey website.
Notes: Chiefs forward Mathieu Tibbet left the game in the first period with an injury and did not return.
