As if the wild winter weather that has blasted the region wasn’t unpredictable enough, everything from results to powerplays to actual game start times were in constant flux during an eventful weekend for Powell River Kings.
What was slated to be a simple Friday/Saturday weekend at Hap Parker Arena began under the first flurries on Friday, February 8, as Powell River hosted Merritt Centennials. The two teams had played an eventful and rodeo-esque game in Merritt in December that saw Powell River prevail 6-5, a game that also saw seven powerplay goals scored on 12 opportunities.
Friday’s game in Powell River followed a similar script with Ryan Brushett and Ethan Schmunk scoring on the man advantage for a 2-1 lead through 20 minutes. Merritt reeled Powell River in and took the lead early into the third period, before Josh Coblenz scored shorthanded following a good forecheck from Levi Glasman. The tie game lasted just 25 seconds as Merritt scored what stood as the game winner, on the powerplay, to run away as 5-3 victors.
Frustrations boiled over for Powell River, who felt they were on the wrong side of several referee decisions and lost Jack Long (checked from behind), Mitch Williams (ejected) and head coach Tyler Kuntz (ejected) all before the end of the game.
“It was a frustrating game, I think everyone was frustrated and a few left a little earlier than we’d like,” said Coblenz. “The refs are going to make the calls they think are penalties and whether we scream or not they’re not going to change their minds so we just need to focus on us and play 60 minutes hard.”
The second leg of Powell River’s weekend was due up on Saturday, with West Kelowna Warriors scheduled to visit. However, severe weather in Vancouver prevented the team from leaving Horseshoe Bay and the game was postponed to Monday, February 11.
The delay didn’t impact Powell River who rebounded from a goal inside the opening two minutes for the Warriors to lead comfortably through 40 minutes with Brushett, Ethan Kimball, Jayden Lee and Neal Samanski all scoring. The second period also saw defenceman Ethan Martini crush West Kelowna forward Max Bulawka with an open ice hit, then drop the gloves to fight fellow heavyweight Garrett Ewert.
West Kelowna came out strong in the third period, cutting the lead to one before Matthew Byrne stepped up and scored the eventual game winning goal midway through the final period as the Kings held on to a 5-4 win.
“I got a nice pass from Kimmer [Kimball], I passed it off to Jack [Long] who I thought was going to shoot but he gave it back to me and I just tried to get it on net as fast as I could,” said Byrne on his game winner.
Matteo Paler-Chow earned his fifth win of the year in net as Powell River improved to 32-20-1-0.
The win was a big one for Powell River to stay within striking distance of Victoria for first place in the Island Division.
“Going into the second, the message was to not let them hang around,” said assistant coach Brock Sawyer. “They’re a team that can get back into games if you don’t put them away and we needed to be good in that middle period and I thought we were. It’s a big win for us in our chase of Victoria.”
Powell River now sits idle until 7 pm Saturday, February 16, when the team hosts Coquitlam Express. Victoria Grizzlies visits Hap Parker Arena for the last time in the regular season at 2 pm on Sunday, February 17 before Powell River heads to Alberni Valley on Monday, February 18 for a Family Day contest against the Bulldogs.
