Ben Berard scored his 2nd overtime winner of the season and first of the playoffs as the Kings took a 2-1 series lead through a 3-2 overtime win against the Nanaimo Clippers on Monday night at the Hap Parker Arena.
A good pace to the game early as the Kings got the early advantage, however it was Nanaimo to open the scoring for the first time in the series. On a dump in, the puck bounced in behind the net for Matteo Paler-Chow to play however a rolling and bouncing puck that refused to settle provided Cal Babych an opportunity to steal and tuck for his 1st of the playoffs and a 1-0 Clipper lead through 20, with the visitors outshooting the Kings 10-8.
A dream start for the Kings in the 2nd as Clipper defenceman David Melaragni went to the box on a high sticking call and the Kings converted on the powerplay as Ben Berard sniped from the faceoff circle on a give and go pass from Carmine Buono…Berard’s 2nd of the playoffs and a 1-1 game.
That was the lone goal of the 2nd period as the Kings outshot Nanaimo 9-8 in the frame, Clippers 18-17 through 40.
Into the third and Nanaimo again took the lead early via David Silye’s 2nd of the playoffs for a 2-1 advantage. That lead was short-lived as Josh Coblenz battled a puck from down low out to the low slot with Ben Berard backhanding one off legs and to the side of the goal where Coblenz got it past goaltender Taz Burman on a second effort, Coblenz’s 2nd of the post season and a 2-2 tie.
The score stayed that way through 60, with the Kings outshooting Nanaimo 12-8 in the period. Into overtime and some chances both ways but it was the Kings to get the game winner. Andy Stevens made a great strip of the puck inside the Powell River zone and got it ahead to the unit of Ben Berard, Carter Turnbull and Josh Coblenz to go in on an odd man rush. Turnbull found Berard who found Coblenz who tapped it back to Berard, his 3rd of the playoffs and a 3-2 overtime win.
Matteo Paler-Chow got his first BCHL playoff victory, stopping 28 Nanaimo shots. The win in overtime is just the third for the Kings this year following wins in Alberni and Merritt. Through the regular season the Kings were 2-6-4 in the extra session, while Nanaimo were 7-3-3.
Here is our Facebook Live postgame show, with Ben Berard and Brock Sawyer.
The Kings now lead their best of seven Island Division semi final series 2-1 over the Nanaimo Clippers. Game four is Tuesday night at the Hap Parker Arena, a 7:00pm start.
