Rylan Ball played the hero as the Kings got back on the winning track, and pulled within one of 2nd place in the Island Division with a 2-1 overtime victory against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Wednesday night.
- A great rush down the ice to end it and give the Kings their 3rd win of the season against the Bulldogs. It is a perfect example of how dangerous Ball can be with his versatility. Started the rush as the defenceman and getting the puck moving north, then transitioned into the right winger to get the return feed from Tristan Mullin. In talking with him after the game, Ball said that he was lucky to take advantage of a flat footed Bulldog defenceman, then saw the five-hole open up.
- Overall, a fairly uneventful game. 46 shots between two teams, there were very few scoring chances either way. Both Carter Turnbull and Tristan Mullin rang shots from the slot off the crossbar and for the Bulldogs Jordan Sandhu had the best non-converted chance that came off the tip of Jeff Smith’s glove in the 1st period. Outside that, there wasn’t a whole lot going on.
- On Turnbull…how about that pass to Evans for the opening goal. I’ll let the video speak for itself.
- A game that simmered a little, which makes the double header on Thursday that much more interesting. With 86 days between games, the 1st period was definately a feeling out period and almost a re-introduction to two organizations that aim to back bone their game plans through hard work and the little things, rather than out-skilling an opponent. The 2nd and the 3rd got progressively more ‘testy’ with a few post whistle scrums and penalties dished out accordingly.
- The 3rd period saw the game open up a little more. Jordan Sandhu was again denied by a quality Jeff Smith save to preserve the deadlocked score. It was a period where the crowd got more involved as well with a few decisions and lack thereof not making the home fans happy. The most reactive one was where Bulldog defenceman Paul Meyer appeared to throw his stick at a Kings attacker who was cutting in towards the goal. The incident drew an immediate reaction from both bench and crowd, but no call. One of those situations where it happens so quickly, did Meyer fall and lose grip on the stick? Did he dive poke-check and have it slip? Did he throw it? Multiple judgement calls rolled into a single second.
Here’s what Jake Kohlhauser and Brock Sawyer had to say in the postgame show:
Three Stars of the Game
- Rylan Ball (Kings) – 1 goal, game winner
- Carter Turnbull (Kings) – 1 assist
- Paul Meyer (Bulldogs) – 1 goal
With the win, and a Cowichan loss to Nanaimo, the Kings pull within 1 point of Cowichan with 2 games in hand…one of which the Kings will burn Thursday when the Kings and Bulldogs lock up in the second leg of the double header. The overtime result was big for Alberni as well as they move to within 2 points back of the final playoff spot, held by Victoria, with 2 games in hand.
