by Glen Gibbs Peak Sports Powell River Kings managed to secure a win and a tie in weekend action at Hap Parker Arena to keep their undefeated string of seven games alive.
For the second game in a row they needed double overtime to win 3-2, as they had over Trail Smoke Eaters last week and Cowichan Valley Capitals Friday, but they couldn’t make it a triple when they settled for a 2-2 tie against Prince George Spruce Kings on Saturday.
Kings’ coach and manager Kent Lewis along with Evan Richardson and Sean Maguire are still in Langley with the Western entry in the World Junior A Challenge but Teagan Waugh, a valuable asset on any team, was back in the lineup for the two weekend games.
His high energy game and the Kings’ special teams were front and centre against the Capitals on Friday when they struck for a shorthanded goal to open the scoring then added two powerplay goals to earn the victory.
Jon Jutzi finished an aggressive two on one with Daniel Schuler at 7:36 but Cowichan replied with two powerplay goals to lead 2-1 after the first period.
After a scoreless second period hard-working Brenden Forbes tied it 2-2 with the man advantage and his goal forced overtime between the conference’s two top teams.
Just like the week before, Schuler was the hero when Cohen Adair won the opening faceoff of the second overtime period, and muscled the puck to the speedy linemate.
“I think he actually won the faceoff,” said Adair of the opposing centre, “and when he hauled me down I just saw Schuler there and all I wanted to do was get it to him because I knew I was falling.” Adair was still laying on the ice when he heard the crowd roar. “It worked out pretty well.”
He and Schuler had been snake-bitten on a number of chances during the game but thought they would eventually prevail.
Schuler’s short-side wrist shot did and with the win Kings were able to retain their first-place standing in the conference.
They lost it the next night though when they couldn’t beat the Spruce Kings’ goaltender, the crossbar and the post.
All three conspired to keep a one-sided contest, in which Powell River outshot Prince George 54-24, tied 2-2.
Once again the Kings opened the scoring with two defencemen combining to surprise Prince George on the penalty kill.
Chris Williams worked the puck down low and spotted Craig Dalrymple in the slot and before the game’s first star, Kirk Thompson, could blink, the puck was in the net.
Powell River lost its momentum and the lead in the second period when Prince George bounced back to score twice, but the Kings tied the game 2-2 on a huge effort from Waugh.
After that it was all Kings but despite enormous pressure and glorious chances in the overtime they couldn’t put the winner in the net.
“That’s what happens when you take 20 minutes off,” warned assistant coach Chad van Diemen of the second period lapse. “It wasn’t good,” he said. “We got away from our game, our bench got a little scrambley and we started to do some things that we know don’t work and we let them back in the game.”
The tie dropped Powell River one point behind Surrey in the standings but the horse race in the Coastal Conference continues with back-to-back games against Nanaimo this weekend.
They host the Clippers at 7:30 pm on Friday, November 11 and Saturday, November 12 at Hap Parker Arena.
DIVISION: Coastal Conference
TEAM GP W L T OTL PTS
Surrey 17 10 4 0 3 23
Powell River 17 10 5 2 0 22
Cowichan Valley 17 10 5 1 1 22
Nanaimo 17 9 5 0 3 21
Victoria 20 10 10 0 0 20
Alberni Valley 15 8 6 1 0 17
Coquitlam 17 7 8 1 1 16
Langley 17 6 11 0 0 12
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