Spruce Kings’ injury woes continue

There is only one word coach Dave Dupas can think of to describe the Prince George Spruce Kings this season.

“We’re cursed,” he said Tuesday, as the team returned from a winless three-game road trip on the weekend. “We’ve had more injuries than most teams get in two or three years.”

Thomas Aldworth of the Vernon Vipers and Viktor Dombrovskiy of the Prince George Spruce Kings collide as the battle over a loose puck Friday night at Kal Tire Place. Lisa VANDERVELDE/Black Press

That theme continued last week, with the news that Justin Rai would miss the rest of the season, and on the weekend, with Ryan Fritz suffering another injury.

“He’s supposed to out four to six weeks,” Dupas said. “If it’s six weeks, that would get him back right at the end of the regular season. If it’s four, he would have a couple of weeks to go before the playoffs.”

The loss of Rai, who played just 25 games this season, coupled with the season-long absence of Karan Tuur, had Dupas shaking his head.

“Two season-ending injuries to two of our top players,” he said. “What are the chances?”

The loss of Fritz could hurt the Spruce Kings down the stretch, as they had just six defencemen on the roster before his injury on Friday against Vernon.

While the Kings lost all three games in the Okanagan, Dupas says they could have very easily come back with a few points.

“Vernon scored late to put that game away, Salmon Arm scored with less than a second to go to win that game, and we were up against Penticton in the second period.

“They made it 3-1 early in the third, and we had to start taking chances. When you do that against a good team, you leave yourself open to them scoring on the break.”

The weekend games have Dupas concentrating on having the Kings play tighter defence, especially late in games.

“Defensively, as a team, we’re weak. We have to take better care of the puck and limit the shots against.

“You can’t sustain giving up 40 shots a night. We have to cut that down.”

The Spruce Kings started a five-game homestand Thursday against Salmon Arm, and continue it Saturday against Victoria and Sunday against Coquitlam.

The homestand wraps up with games Jan. 22 and 23 against Surrey.

The Kings picked up Nick Guerra from Nanaimo on the weekend, just before the trade deadline. He’s expected to see action on the current homestand.

“This is the team we’re going to have the rest of the way this season,” Dupas says, “and that’s what we have to work with.

“The other teams aren’t going to feel sorry for us because of our injuries.”