After recording a pair of home wins over Wenatchee Wild and West Kelowna Warriors, Powell River Kings head coach Kent Lewis considered last weekend a success.
Kings ended a solid January by collecting four more points and now face a short February of eight games, six at Hap Parker Arena and two on the road. BC Hockey League (BCHL) playoffs begin shortly after.
To say January was a good month is, by any account, an understatement. Kings won 10 games and lost only one.
On Friday, January 27, facing league-leading Wenatchee Wild, Kings came away with a 4-2 win.
“It was a playoff-feel game,” said Kings captain Jake Kohlhauser, who picked up an assist. “The environment in the rink, the fans, and knowing what that game meant to us, it was a big one. We went out there and played the right way. We were hardworking and kept the game simple, doing the things that make us a good team and achieving the success we wanted.”
Lewis said every player on the team is contributing.
“Wenatchee obviously has a good record,” said Lewis. “We had to play a good hockey game and we did.”
The one statistic Lewis was not happy with was turnovers, which allowed Wenatchee 42 shots while the Kings registered 31.
Kings were able to keep the BCHL’s top two points leaders, Wenatchee’s Brendan Harris and Charlie Combs, off the scoreboard.
Goaltender Mitch Adamyk earned the win in goal against Wenatchee. Brian Wilson backstopped the home team to victory against West Kelowna.
Adamyk and Wilson provide strong options in net, said Lewis, who has used both goaltenders throughout the season. Wilson ranks fifth among BCHL goalies with Adamyk just behind in sixth. Both sport 2.95 goals-against averages.
Powell River defeated West Kelowna 7-2 Saturday night, with the most impressive performance coming courtesy of Jonny Evans, who posted four goals and two assists. The six points moved Evans into third spot in league scoring with 29 goals and 37 assists.
While the Kings are starting to feel the playoffs approaching, Lewis said some fine-tuning is still required.
In the dressing room, Kohlhauser said the team is focused on working hard, playing the right way and making sure things are going to turn out well for the team.
“There’s a mixture of confidence and you have to be humble as well,” he said. “We’ve been doing really well because of our hard work and that’s the big thing. We just have to make sure we keep striving to be better every day in practice.”
Kings’ final regular season games are against division rivals, including one at home with Island Division leaders Victoria Grizzlies.
“The biggest thing is having fun,” said Lewis. “Play with good energy and don’t take anything for granted.”
The coach has stressed hard work from day one and, according to Kohlhauser, it showed during the two home games.
Kings return to action Friday, February 3, when they host Cowichan Valley Capitals at Hap Parker Arena; game time is 7:15 pm. The same two teams square off in a rematch at 5 pm on Saturday, February 4. Alberni Valley Bulldogs provide the opposition on Tuesday, February 7; game time is 7 pm.
