After losing 6-1 in Chilliwack on Saturday, the fate of the Kings season would be decided in the final game versus the Surrey Eagles. A win and the Kings clinch their spot in the playoffs, a loss than that is it.
It would be a hot start for the home team as they peppered Zak Brice with many shots in the early portions, and just like the night before he kept his team in it with many key saves. However he wouldn’t be able to stop them all as Grayden Slipec would get by the Kings D and make a nice move to flip it over Brice to give the Eagles early lead. The Eagles would end up outshooting the Kings 15-5 after the opening twenty.
With their season on the line the Kings would look for a huge bounce back period but the Eagles would make the hill a little steeper 3 minutes into the period as Jake Bongo would feed Ben Fonataine on a 2 on 1 to make it a two goal game. Although it became that much more harder to make a comeback going down two seemed to ignite a spark in the Kings as they would start the push for a few goals. They would finally get a puck in the back of the net at 6:37 when Nic Porchetta fed Parker LaLonde alone in front who took the pass, deked, and tucked it around Eli Pulver to get the Kings within one. The Goal would be Parker’s team leading 18th. With some momentum on their side the Kings would push hard for the equalizer and start to take over the game but Pulver stopped everything else he saw in the period as Kings out shot Surrey 13-8 in the middle frame.
So it all came down to the final period for the Kings needing a W to continue there season. The Kings have only won twice when trailing after two periods this season while the Eagles were 19-1 when they has the lead after two so it was a very difficult task for the Kings. Despite all that they carried on from where they left off in the second applying pressure to the Eagles, but the Eagles defence bared down in the period making it tough for the Kings to get shots through. The Kings would get a power play midway through the period but were unable to capitalize on the opportunity. The Kings would then go on a huge penalty kill with 4 minutes to go which they would be able to kill off and set themselves up for a final minute push. The Kings would get it to 6 on 5 with a minute to go and had the puck in the offensive zone. The Eagles defence continued to make life difficult for the Kings forcing the play to the board, blocking shots and, not giving the Kings any space. The Kings would push and push to score and force OT but the final buzzer sounded and the season was over for the Kings.
Zak Brice would make 27 saves in the loss while NIc Porchetta and Caleb Parkhouse assists on the LaLonde goal would give both Powell River boys 12 points in their final 14 games.
The Kings finish the season with a record of 13-31-7-2 one point back of the Capitals who claimed the final playoff spot. This is the first time the Kings have missed the playoffs since the 2000-2001 season.
