Kings lost 2-1 to the Centennials from Merritt but that didn't dampen the spirits of the many parents who came to visit their sons in Powell River.
Introductions before the game and a get together with billets, Kings' staff and all the players and parents later took a bit of the sting out of the loss.
Kings looked pretty good in the early going and opened the scoring on a pretty passing play from the "grinders".
Bradley Parker got into the corner, came up with the puck and put a perfect pass onto Nogard's stick and he promptly fired it in at 9:50.
Kings outshot the Cents 10-7 and earned a big round of applause from the crowd of 810 fans at the end of twenty.
After a decent first few minutes of the second period, the Kings gradually slipped a few notches and fans could sense the Cents getting stronger.
A total defensive breakdown resulted in a scramble for the loose puck by the side of the Kings' net and Diego Cuglietta of the Cents was allowed to just slap it by Jonah Imoo.
Cents next goal came seven minutes later when, on a powerplay, a slapshot from the point was knocked down in front of the Kings net and Regan Soquila jumped on it and flipped it high into the net.
That goal at 13:03 of the second proved to be the winner and despite a pretty good third period for the Kings, they couldn't get the puck by first star Tyler Steel.
"Merritt has got a really good hockey club," said coach Kent Lewis after, "but the entire group from me down has got to learn that this is not going to be easy."
"Wins aren't going to come easy – they're going to come from hard work."
Kings play Victoria on Saturday, who will come in off a 3-1 victory over Salmon Arm on Friday night.
Game time is 7:30 P.M.
Ron Armitage Mens Wear Three Stars:
1. Tyler Steel
2. Regan Soquila
3. Bradley Parker
