There is no place like home and that never rang truer than in Powell River Kings’ second round playoff series against Nanaimo Clippers.
Nanaimo had the better record at the end of the year and the reward for that, which tipped the scales in game seven, was home ice advantage.
Since neither team had won in the other’s building the series decider was played at Frank Crane Arena and true to form Nanaimo edged Powell River 3-2 in another nail-biter game.
On Sunday night, March 22, close to 2,000 fans, including a boat load from Powell River, settled in for what they knew would be a tight checking, close contest.
Earlier in the week each of them recorded a 2-1 victory at home to make a total of four by the same score and then Powell River forced a seventh game with a 4-2 win on Friday, March 20, the second 4-2 game in the series.
Old-timers applauded those results because playoff games in “the good old days” were always won at home and teams were extremely stingy.
Coaches Mike Vandekamp of the Clippers and Kent Lewis of Powell River were both around for some of that and their influence was hard at work over the last nine days.
In such a series every goal is coveted but none is more valuable than the first one, and on Sunday Nanaimo struck early at 2:16 of the opening period.
The one goal lead lasted until the middle of the second period when Stephen Hiff pounced on a rebound to tie 1-1 at 12:35.
Nanaimo didn’t waste any time responding when Nicholas Gushue’s point shot beat Brett Magnus through a screen at 15:33.
Kings fought back before the end of the second period to tie 2-2 with defenceman Derian Hamilton pinching in to score at 18:45.
Nanaimo came out firing in the third and scored the winner at just 0:18 seconds and then spent the next 19 minutes and 42 seconds holding off the Kings.
Despite some glorious chances by the Kings to even the score Nanaimo goaltender Guillaume Decelles turned away every one of them to lead the Clippers to a 3-2 victory.
With the win Nanaimo (which has a much older and built for a run team with five 20-year-olds, 13 19-year-olds and four 18-year-olds compared to the Kings’ four 20-year-olds, eight 19-year-olds, five 18-year-olds and five 17-year-olds) moves on to the round robin format with Penticton Vees and Chilliwack Chiefs.
Of the Kings’ year, Lewis said, “It was a year of transition with a lot of new faces and injuries too so we stumbled out of the gate a little bit before we came around. Our season was inconsistent, but I pointed out to the kids that at crunch time in big games there was good resolve there.”
In particular, he said, “I point to January where we went 9-2-1 with a depleted lineup and it showed really what this group is all about. We lost our focus a little down the stretch, but as a coach that didn’t kill me because I knew what we were capable of with the eyes a little more focused. Our performance in the playoffs wasn’t a surprise to me, but unfortunately we came up a little short.”
Besides his praise for the team’s effort he added, “I was overwhelmed by how many people took holidays and time off from Powell River to come down to game seven. I was awestruck by it and the passionate crowd we had in game six.”
Kings will miss the scoring punch of Jacob Pritchard, Kurt Keats and Jarid Lukosevicius, the physicality and leadership of JJ Coleshaw, Stephen Hiff and Brent Lashuk, and, of course, very solid goaltending of Brett Magnus but the rebuild will be easier than last year.
The defensive corp will remain largely intact with the exception of Nick Nonis, so the emphasis will be on the forwards.
That process has already started with the commitment of 1998-born Carter Turnbull who was in the Kings’ camp last summer and played a handful of games as an affiliate for Cowichan Valley Capitals.
“He had a very good camp and very good exhibition,” Lewis. “He’s only 16 years old and I feel he’ll come in and be in our top six. He’s a hard worker and his offensive abilities are very good.”
Add to that the impressive play of affiliates, particularly Rylan Ball who Lewis said, “I think he came in and was fantastic. We’re losing a lot of guys and I’m really excited for him because he’s got size, he’s a strong kid and he’s got good offensive upside.”
All in all a positive outlook for Kings’ fans and a good reason to take advantage of early bird season ticket sales for next year.
