There are many good descriptions for the current edition of the Powell River Kings. Maybe gritty, gutsy, clutch and just plain good apply but throughout the year, as they have faced adversity head on, they have consistently stepped up.
Their record and national ranking show they are the best team in the BC Hockey League but the standings don’t even come close to revealing the challenges they’ve overcome to get there.
Minus JJ Coleshaw, Luke Ripley, Matt Scarth and Kurt Keats they dispatched Chilliwack Chiefs 5-1 and then in Victoria, lost Ryan Scarfo and Luke Nogard for big chunks of the game, but still won 6-3 over the league’s second seeds, the Grizzlies.
Given the records of the Chiefs and Kings on Friday the lopsided score wasn’t a surprise but hidden behind the win, aside from single goals by Jarid Lukosevicius and Scarfo, the Kings got a pair from Curtis McCarrick and a brilliant shorthanded effort from Kyle Chatham.
Now, that’s the definition of stepping up.
Chatham, who proudly claims he is a defenceman’s defenceman, wore a huge grin after the game. “I have no idea,” he said of his jump into the play. “It’s unchartered territory for me. I just got an urge and went after it and [Stephen] Hiff made a good chip and I got clear. I just improvised.”
Improvisation is the operative word in the Kings’ land these days but one of the most consistent performers is loving every minute of it. With the midway point of the schedule having now arrived, Lukosevicius finds himself needing to absorb his experience with the Kings quickly. “It’s going by really fast,” he said. “I wish it was longer.”
He recently committed to Denver Pioneers in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and is soaking up all he can from the Kings’ organization.
“Kent [Lewis] knows what I need to work on and tells me to get to the net more,” he said, “so that’s what I’ve been doing and that’s why I’m getting these goals. He also wants me to be more consistent so I’m working hard to do that too.”
With a win under their belt, attention turned to a tough road game against the Grizzlies who have been a handful in previous meetings.
November’s Armitage Mens Wear Player of the Month, Drew Dorantes, helped the Kings off to a quick start with a tip on the point shot of Aiden Wright at 1:01.
Kings shocked the Grizzlies at 4:56 when affiliate Gage Colpron finished a nice passing play by linemates Luke McCaw and Jonny Evans to stake the Kings to an early 2-0 lead.
While the score was good news for Powell River the ejection of leading scorer Scarfo for a hit from behind made a big hole bigger in the Kings’ offence.
Grizzlies scored early in the second to get back to 2-1 but then the game got a little crazy.
Lukosevicius finished off a nice tic-tac-toe with Hiff and Jarryd Leung at 10:42. Then off the ensuing centre ice face-off Brian Rideout fired the puck from centre and it skipped in at 10:47 to stun the Grizzlies 4-1.
Grizzlies responded with a couple of late second-period goals at 17:06 and 19:57 to get to 4-3 but the Kings weren’t done yet.
Lukosevicius added his second goal at 8:15 on the powerplay when he worked the puck out to the slot where he patiently lifted a backhand in to make it 5-3.
Then the Kings put a 220-pound exclamation mark on the win when Victoria won a faceoff to the right of their net but Lucas Grayson darted through to pick up the loose puck and fired it into the short side at 8:47.
Not only was the goal crucial with half a period to play but it also pointed to the massive contribution by the Kings’ support cast over the first half of the schedule.
Coaches are quick to give every player on the roster credit but also stressed the importance of leadership.
“Our leadership deserves a huge amount of credit,” said assistant coach Chad van Diemen, “and as they go our young guys and new faces do too. They got a few words on the bus from Kent but they get it and get themselves up for games—and the one in Victoria was a huge game.”
There are three more road games for the Kings, starting Friday, December 13 for a rematch in Victoria, then across the water Saturday, December 14 for Langley Rivermen and over to West Kelowna Warriors for a game at 2:30 pm Sunday, December 15.
Kings Scroll:
Kings move up to number five from seven in the Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings.
TEAM GP W L T OTL PTS
Powell River 30 22 4 2 2 48
Victoria 32 19 8 3 2 43
Nanaimo 32 16 15 0 1 33
Cowichan Valley 34 12 21 0 1 25
Alberni Valley 33 9 19 2 3 23
