It was the first of what will be nine meetings between Langley Rivermen and Prince George Spruce Kings this season, with the Spruce Kings joining the newly aligned Coastal East Division in the BCHL standings.
Both teams had already met in the preseason, each taking a win in two meetings.
On Sunday, Sept. 22, the game at George Preston arena was a win for Langley, a 4-0 shutout.
A power play goal gave the Rivermen their first goal of the season, courtesy of Ryan Schelling who took a pass and sniped a shot into the top corner at 15:26 of the first period.
Langley added onto their lead early in the second period, as Carsten Kayter’s slap shot found its way through traffic and into the Spruce Kings net on the power play making it 2-0 Rivermen 2:31 into the frame.
Just 4:10 later, Kayter once again tallied on a similar shot to his first goal, another seeing-eye effort from the blueline that beat a screened Carter Wishart to make it 3-0 Rivermen.
Prince George had a slight push back after the third Langley goal, including changing their goaltender, but Bodee Weiss would was unbeatable in the Rivermen goal to keep it 3-0 Rivermen after 40.
Newly minted captain Tyler Chan would add another Rivermen goal 4:11 into the third period. Adyn Merrick fed Chan who shot the puck on a bounce and it flew past Spruce Kings netminder Ryder Green who had come into the game to relieve Wishart in the second period.
Rivermen would kill off a late power play from Prince George to ensure the shutout for Weiss, his first in the BCHL in his league debut as he turned aside 15 shots.
All three stars of the game were Rivermen: Kayter, Bodee Weiss, and Chan.
Langley is back in action Friday, Sept. 27 in their first meeting of the season against the Surrey Eagles at the South Surrey Arena.
The next night, the Rivermen host Surrey at George Preston for a 7:15 p.m. puck drop.
