DUNCAN, B.C. – The Cowichan Capitals returned to home ice Thursday night following an extended road swing that saw them run through the Lower Mainland, Prince George and Alberta. Despite a strong effort and a 27-20 advantage in shots, the Capitals came up just short in a 2-1 loss to the Prince George Spruce Kings.
Coming off a successful Alberta road trip that saw the team collect three wins in four games, Cowichan was looking to carry that momentum into its first home appearance in over a month.
They came out with plenty of energy in the opening frame, generating several opportunities against Spruce Kings netminder Cody Arnold. However, both goaltenders stood tall through much of the period, keeping the game scoreless until the Spruce Kings found a late opening goal with just three seconds on the clock.
Recently acquired forward Kole Keen continued his impressive stretch since joining the team, finding the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season with an impressive individual move to tie the game. The goal marked Keen’s second consecutive game with a tally after scoring the overtime winner against the Brooks Bandits to close out the team’s Alberta road trip.
With the game tied, Cowichan kept pushing offensively, outshooting Prince George 11-6 in the middle frame. With everything still up for grabs in the third, the visitors found the decisive goal just past the eight-minute mark, eventually leading to the 2-1 victory. The Capitals kept pressing for an equalizer until the final second, but Arnold and the Spruce Kings held firm, keeping Cowichan off the scoreboard and securing the 2-1 win.
Maillet delivered another solid performance between the pipes, turning aside 18 of 20 shots, while Arnold stopped 26 of 27 to earn the win. Despite the result, Cowichan held a 27-20 shot advantage and killed all six Prince George power-play opportunities.
The Capitals will look to bounce back as they continue their homestand on Saturday, October 24th as they welcome the Chilliwack Chiefs to the Cowichan Comminuty Centre.
