Brett Pfoh collected two goals and Chong Min Lee and Nick Poisson each picked up a goal and an assist to power the Prince George Spruce Kings to 5-3 B.C. Hockey League preseason win over the Merritt Centennials Tuesday night at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena
Jett Alexander, in his debut in net for the Spruce Kings, stopped 28 of 31 shots to lock away the victory.
Nicholas Poisson and Fin Williams also scored for Prince George.
Daniel Tkac, who opened the scoring late in the first period, Payton Matsqui and Troy Quinn were the Merritt goalscorers. All three goals came on power plays.
Pfoh gave the Kings their first lead midway through the second period, but Matsqui provided the equalizer 78 seconds later. Consecutive goals from Pfoh, a product of the Burnaby Winter Club, and Poisson put the Kings ahead 4-2, 11 seconds into the third period. Quinn made it close, striking on a Cents' power play at 8:44 of the third, but just 22 seconds later Williams redirected a shot from Lee to restore the two-goal lead and cap the scoring.
The Kings outshot the Cents 35-31. Dylan Kosik started in goal for Merritt. He stopped 12 of 15 shots before he was replaced halfway through the game by Aiden Hosein, who blocked 18 of 20 shots.
The Kings and Cents will meet Friday in Merritt, the final preseason game for each team.
The defending-champion Spruce Kings open their 24th BCHL season at home on Friday, Sept. 6 when they host the Surrey Eagles. On that night the Kings will raise their first Fred Page Cup and Doyle Cup banners.
