It’s a slim chance, and entirely out of Powell River Kings’ control, however, there remains a glimmer of hope for the team to finish atop of BC Hockey League Island Division standings. After an eventful weekend, the team picked up three of a possible four points before having another game postponed.
Following a rare Friday night off, Powell River hosted Coquitlam Express on Saturday, February 16, in the third matchup of the season series. Coquitlam had beaten Powell River twice by 6-3 scores at the BCHL Showcase in September and in Coquitlam in December.
Despite Powell River having an overload of chances including three via breakaway, Coquitlam built a 2-0 lead through the first period and early stages of the second.
Christian Buono replied for the Kings with a pair of goals to draw the game level, however, that same pattern continued. Coquitlam held 3-2, 4-3 and finally 5-4 leads, going three for five on the powerplay in the process, with Powell River tying the game each time through Levi Glasman, Nolan Krogfoss and Josh Coblenz.
With just over a minute remaining in regulation, Kings forward Neal Samanski took a major penalty, paired with a game misconduct, that put the home team down a player into overtime. Coquitlam scored its fourth powerplay goal of the game and swept the season series with a 6-5 win.
“Give Coquitlam credit, they back-checked very well and we only got one shot on goal from those three early breakaways,” said assistant coach Brock Sawyer. “If you’re a fan, that’s probably a game you enjoyed aside from the result with 11 goals total, but as a coach there’s not much positive to say.”
Kings hosted Victoria on Sunday, February 17, to close out an eight-game season series. The game also served as a fundraiser for former Paper Kings captain Mike Warriner, who lost his battle to esophageal cancer two days prior at the age of 43. With some donations still outstanding, the Kings raised over $7,700 for the Warriner family’s medical expenses related to his treatment in the United States.
Following a touching tribute from Warriner’s Powell River billet mom Shirley Court, Kings took the game to the Grizzlies as they have for most of the season series. A pair of goals by Glasman, and singles by Ryan Brushett and Coblenz put Powell River up 4-0 less than 10 minutes into the game.
Victoria cut the lead in half in the second period, however, an early Coblenz tally in the third had Powell River moving in the right direction. Brushett closed out his second hat-trick of the season, including his league-leading 40th of the campaign, and Matthew Byrne helped the Kings to an 8-3 win, and a 6-2 record in the season series.
“This is a great feeling; the guys are really happy to end the series like this, to come out in the first 10 minutes, set the tone with four goals really early and ultimately pump eight into their net,” said defender Jayden Lee. “We enjoyed that first period, but the key was to make sure we were still focused and stick to the reasons why we were up 4-0 after 10 minutes.”
The win was the second blowout of the season against Victoria, mirroring in many ways the 12-5 win in Victoria in October. Some fans following the game likened the first period onslaught to opening night when Powell River scored five unanswered beginning late in the second period to overrun Victoria for a 5-3 win.
“That was the start we wanted today, getting out of the gate quick and getting a couple,” added Sawyer. “We were in on the forecheck, getting in on their defence and did the little things right.”
The fact that Powell River may have had a little extra help during the game was not lost either.
“The tribute to Mike before the game was really well done, a great tribute to a great person and a great Powell River King,” said Sawyer on the pregame pause for Warriner, who sits eighth all time in games played for the organization. “I just hope Mike was up there smiling down when we were putting goals in the back of the net.”
With the final weekend of the BC Hockey League season approaching, Kings do not have a confirmed playoff matchup. With home ice advantage, Powell River will host games one and two at Hap Parker Arena on Friday, March 1, and Saturday, March 2.
Heading into the final weekend, Victoria needs three of a possible four points from their final two games to clinch first place. That equation becomes easier should Powell River drop points in their final three games beginning Friday, February 22, as hosts to Alberni Valley, then Saturday when the Kings head to Nanaimo to take on the Clippers.
Powell River’s final game takes place at Alberni Valley on Sunday, February 24, a makeup game from Family Day that was cancelled due to ferry cancellations between Powell River and Comox.
