After winning three of six games on a recent road trip, Powell River Kings head coach Kent Lewis was not happy about being in third place and playing with a win/loss record of just over 500.
With a pair of wins at home on Friday, October 21, and Sunday, October 23, the team is still in third spot, but now sports a record above 600.
“I’m a little happier,” said Lewis.
With a 5-1 thumping of Langley and a 6-2 win over Salmon Arm, Powell River now has 11 wins and seven losses for 22 points. The team sits alone in third place but only one point back of BC Hockey League (BCHL) Island Division leaders Victoria and Cowichan. Kings play in Cowichan on Friday, October 28.
“We have a good hockey club,” said Lewis, “and when we play properly we can be very effective.”
Rookie forward Cam Donaldson continues to be strong around the opposition net. With two goals and two assists, Donaldson picked up another four points on the weekend.
According to Lewis, Donaldson is a natural goal scorer and has puck sense.
“He’s like a little water bug,” said Lewis. “He works hard, he’s good in traffic and he competes.”
Donaldson, the team’s leading scorer, is tied with three other BCHL players for third in the league scoring race with 24 points.
Lewis has been juggling his lines with good results, he said, and team defence continues to improve, including the goaltending tandem of Mitch Adamyk and Brian Wilson, who returned to the lineup after a minor injury.
According to Lewis, the season is still early and he has confidence the Kings will move up in the standings.
“We’re about a third of the way through and you start to see what you’re capable of,” he said, “because you’ve seen every team and the kids have a feel for the league.”
Kings travel to Cowichan for their next game on Friday, October 28. A three-game road trip also includes stops in Port Alberni on Saturday, October 29, and Nanaimo on Sunday, October 30.
