Speed kills, just ask the Coquitlam Express.
The Prince George Spruce Kings skated their opponents into submission once again as they blew past their Mainland Division rival by a 4-0 score from the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena on Friday.
The trio of Blake Hayward, Chong Min Lee and Patrick Cozzi took the game over in the final two periods scoring a combined two goals and four assists and exposing the glove side of Express goaltender Brock Hamm in the process.
Cozzi led the way with a team-high three points and has found instant chemistry with his new line mates.
“We’re still in the early stages of our line as we kind of got put together recently, me and Hayward have been together for a little bit and adding Chong because he is so fast, so skilled and he helps us so much and Hayward is so big and he’s got a great shot – I try and get them the puck and they just do the work.”
Hayward seems to be heating up at the right time for the Spruce Kings with a pair of two point games in consecutive outings, much to the delight of Cozzi.
“He makes so much space for us because he is so big and physical and when he comes down the wing the defence gets a little nervous and it creates so much more room for skilled guys like me and Chong but Hayward is super-skilled too.”
Ben Poisson and Dustin Manz added the other goals for Prince George in the contest.
Coquitlam actually had the chance to blow the game open in the first period with four consecutive power-plays including a four-minute high sticking infraction to Hayward.
The Express came up empty offensively in the opening twenty minutes despite outshooting the Spruce Kings 8-3 and were subsequently 21-7 over the last 40 minutes.
Prince George improves to 28-15-4-4 on the season and are now nine points in front of the Surrey Eagles for the Mainland Division crown after falling 3-2 to the Chilliwack Chiefs.
The Spruce Kings received more good news on the out of town scoreboard as the Vernon Vipers pasted the Langley Rivermen 5-1.
Prince George goes for the weekend sweep against Coquitlam Saturday at 7 PM from the RMCA.
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