After opening the 2017/2018 campaign at the Hap Parker Arena, the Kings hit the road for the next four games with two of those coming this weekend on Vancouver Island. The 1-0-1-0 Powell River Kings will face two teams who suffered opposite fates during the opening weekend by visiting both the 2-0 Clippers and the winless Capitals.
Here are your game notes for the weekend:
Two very different Powell River Kings outfits over the weekend. The Friday team was hungry for the puck, won board battles, forechecked, backchecked and paychequed in the form of an 8-2 win. There was very very little not to like from Friday’s game, and in the same token, very little of that carried over to Saturday. The Kings got beat along the boards, were out hustled for the puck, gave up a few odd-man rushes and ultimately lost the bonus point in overtime.
On Saturday, credit the Grizzlies too. Sure Powell River didn’t play near their best 60 but it was a Victoria team that bounced back after an opening night setback.
To this weekend and the Kings are looking forward to hitting the road for a pair on Vancouver Island. The first road trip of the season is always a special one as it allows the playing group to really bond. This team has spent a lot of time together since the end of Main Camp in August, so there are no strangers. However a road trip, hotel time and trying to grind out two points on the road bring a team together like nothing else.
To this weekend’s opponents, first the Nanaimo Clippers on Friday night. They opened at home on Friday in front of 1600+ at the Frank Crane Arena and came from behind to beat the Bulldogs 5-3. The Clippers are also an experienced team with plenty of returning players including last weekend’s leading scorer Tristan Crozier who put up 5 points in the 2 games.
The Clippers, like the Kings on Friday, spread out the scoring through the weekend. Nine players registered more than a point over the two games, with 7 more getting on the scoresheet in some way shape or form.
On the back end, the Clippers feature the returning Austin Roden (who helped out in an emergency backup role for the Kings a couple of years back) and rookie Noah Featherstonhaugh Gowe. Both goalies split duties in the pair of wins against Alberni and Cowichan.
Saturday the Kings return to Cowichan after an 8-0 win in exhibition play back in August. Despite the lopsided win, the Kings will take precisely nothing from that game and treat Saturday like a clean slate.
Friday is a scoreboard watching day for the Capitals as they remain idle, having played just the one game against the Clippers last Saturday night. It’s a slow start to the season but does mean that the team is well rested and has had plenty of time to practice. No doubt they’ll be ready to go and a little antsy come 7:00pm on Saturday night.
The Caps are under a new Head Coach. Bob Beatty left the team late in the off-season and was replaced by Brian Passmore who had been academy coaching on the Island previously.
Eight returnees including goaltender Adam Marcoux, defencemen Nii Noi Tetteh, Marshall Skapski and Simon Chen along with four forwards.
Both games are live on 95.7 CoastFM and HockeyTV beginning at 6:40pm with the pre-game show. For Friday’s show, we’ll talk with Kent Lewis and Mike Vandekamp in the pre-game, Gavin Rauser, Matteo Paler-Chow and Trent Bell in the 1st intermission, and Clippers voice Dan Marshall in the 2nd break. Brock Sawyer slides in for the post game show.
Listen on 95.7 CoastFM: http://radioplayer.vistaradio.ca/cfpw/
Watch on HockeyTV: http://www.hockeytv.com
Follow on Social Media: http://www.twitter.com/bchlkings
