The Powell River Kings closed their 8-game season series against the Victoria Grizzlies with another statement against their Island rivals, pouring on the offence early and often as Ryan Brushett notched his 2nd hattrick of the season which included a league-leading 40th goal of the year in an 8-3 win over Victoria on Sunday afternoon.
After the Grizzlies opened up the game with a few scoring chances, the Kings got on the board and began a stellar and stunning first period with their first shot on goaltender Zach Rose as Levi Glasman was the benefactor of a good forecheck below the Victoria net with Nolan Krogfoss and Mitch Williams getting a puck out to Glasman to tuck home for the 1-0 lead.
The Kings backed that up less than 2 minutes later through Ryan Brushett, a good give and go pass for Coblenz allowed him to tee up Brushett for a chance in the slot and Brushett’s 38th of the season. It was 3-0 less than a minute after that as a low Ryan Pouliot shot cannoned off a skate in the slot and out to Levi Glasman to shoot into the open net for his 2nd of the game and finally Powell River chased Zach Rose from the net on a weak 4-0 goal with Josh Coblenz shooting off the rush and going post and in past a disappointing Victoria netminder. 4-0 just 9:24 in as the Grizzlies switched up netminders and the Kings held firm control.
Victoria would close the gap in the second and cut the lead in half through a pair of goals from defenceman. First, Brady MacDonald beat Matteo Paler-Chow on a long wrister, then midway through Kenny Johnson reeled in a puck after a battle with Christian Buono and put the perfect shot up high on a screened Paler-Chow for a 4-2 score after 40.
The first goal of the third would be crucial and it was the Kings to take back momentum from the Grizzlies with a tally in the opening minute. Josh Coblenz got his 2nd of the game and 21st of the year for a 5-2 Kings lead. Victoria kept it close with a goal not long after, again from the blue line via Nico Somerville but the Kings ran away with it as Ryan Brushett notched 39 and then 40 goals on the season. He becomes the first King to score 40 since Matt Garbowsky notched 44 in 2010/11, and the most goals scored by a Kings since Jacob Pritchard’s 39 in 2014/15. Matthew Byrne rounded out the scoring as the Kings ran away 8-3 winners.
The game also served as a fundraiser for former Powell River Paper Kings captain Mike Warriner, who played over 200 games in Powell River and sits 8th all-time in games played for the franchise. With more donations to be counted, the Kings can confirm that $7402 was raised at Sunday’s game for the Warriner family. Before the game, the below video played to a crowd of 995 to honour Mike’s link to Powell River.
Powell River closes the season series with a 6-2 advantage over Victoria, outscoring them 44-26 in the 8 games, highlighted by today’s 8-3 result and October’s 12-5 drubbing. Here’s what Brock Sawyer had to say in the post-game show:
The Kings maintain their faint hopes to finishing top of the Island Divisions and carry them into Monday’s game in Alberni against the Bulldogs, a 2:00pm Family Day matinee affair.
