Powell River River Kings coaching staff told its team five wins in a row is a fluke and six is a streak.
“So now, six is a fluke and seven is a streak,” said Kings assistant coach Brock Sawyer.
Kings have registered six straight wins, taking six out of six points available in a recent three-game homestand at Hap Parker Arena. The team moved into third place in BC Hockey League (BCHL) Island Division standings behind first place Victoria Grizzlies and Cowichan Valley Capitals, who hold down second spot.
Kings defeated the Grizzlies 3-2 in double overtime on Saturday, October 1, and won 5-3 over Vernon Vipers on Friday, September 30. Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, September 28, Kings trounced Nanaimo Clippers 7-1.
Kings forward Carter Turnbull currently sits in seventh place in BCHL scoring with seven goals and five assists in 12 games. The team’s goaltending tandem of Mitch Adamyk and Brian Wilson are both in the top 10 of the league in goals against average; Adamyk is seventh while Wilson is 10th.
“The hard part is deciding who is going to play when they’re both playing so well,” said Sawyer.
Cam Donaldson is also on a streak, with six goals and an assist in four games. He scored the winner against Victoria and what proved to be the winning goal in the Vernon game.
“Anytime you’re winning, it’s easy to come to the rink and prepare for a practice and games,” said Sawyer. “It’s been a complete turnaround since the first four games of the season. Now we’re clicking and executing our systems.”
According to Sawyer, the Kings execution and effort has been better of late.
“We thought it was going to be easy when we were losing,” he said. “Teams took advantage of us. Now we’re attentive to detail, moving forward and competing a lot harder and really taking advantages of other teams’ weaknesses.”
Sawyer said a seventh straight win will not be easy to achieve in a loud building against the hardworking and shot-blocking Port Alberni Bulldogs on Friday, October 7.
”We don’t really talk about winning six in a row,” he said. “We just worry about the next game.”
