The Cranbrook Bucks have their backs against the wall, coming home for Game 6 of their Round 1 playoff series against the Prince George Spruce Kings, down three games to two.
Both teams have won all their home games so far, and Thursday night in Prince George, the Spruce Kings came away with a 3-2 victory to take the lead.
The Bucks must now win Game 6 at Western Financial Place on Saturday to stave off elimination.
Power play goals were the story in Thursday night’s contest in Prince George. After a tight-checking, scoreless first period, the Spruce Kings got on the board in the second, thanks to Luc Laylin’s fifth goal of the playoffs, scored in the first 80 seconds of the game.
Tyson Dyck scored on the power play (his third goal of the playoffs) in the dying seconds of Nick Rheaume’s interference penalty, and Kellan Hjartason scored another — his first of the playoffs — also on the power play, to give the Bucks the lead at the 19 minute mark of the second frame.
The Spruce Kings had gone 0-2 on the power play so far in the game, but Nick Rheaume tied it up for Prince George, 16 minutes into the third, only seconds into a power play with Brendan Rogers off for tripping.
And Simon Labelle got one past Bucks goaltender Nathan Airey with only a minute and a half left in the game for the winner.
The Spruce Kings outshot the Bucks in this contest, 38-22. 1,003 spectators came out to take in the game in the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena in Prince George.
Game 6 of the Bucks-Spruce Kings BCHL playoff series takes place on Saturday, April 9, at Western Financial Place in Cranbrook. Game time 7 pm