The Powell River Kings played a near perfect, textbook opening 5 minutes on Friday night, scoring twice and seizing control of their game against the Victoria Grizzlies, one the Kings eventually won by a 5-2 score.
The Kings had perhaps their best start to a game all season with a pair of goals inside the opening five minutes, coupled with a frantic pace and physical play that took advantage of a Grizzlies team on their heels. First, on an early powerplay for the Kings, Levi Glasman went in behind the net and attempted to feed out front, however the puck took a deflection on its way out, bounced into mid air, only for Josh Coblenz to bunt it in for his 14th of the year and a 1-0 Kings lead.
As that goal was being announced, Mitch Williams and Ethan Kimball were sprung on a 2-on-1 break down the ice. Williams kept and found a pass over to Kimball to redirect home for his 5th of the year and a quick 2-0 advantage for the Kings. It stayed that way through 20 with the Kings outshooting Victoria 13-7.
The early and often goals continued into the second with Powell River again seizing control of the game with an early tally. Neal Samanski scored just 38 seconds in, cashing in on a good keep at the blue line from Ethan Martini and a nice move and recovery from Ryan Brushett. Then 6:20 in the Kings again went to work in the offensive zone with Brushett finding Rowan Miller in front, he snuck a puck past Kurtis Chapman for his 5th of the year and 3rd against the Grizzlies for a 4-0 advantage. That goal chased Chapman from the net, giving up 4 on 17 shots in 26:20.
The goalie change didn’t help much as the Kings made it 5-0 on a late powerplay with Levi Glasman getting on the scoresheet, only for that goal to be cancelled out on the following shift as a defensive breakdown allowed Riley Hughes to have time and space in front of the goal to beat Mitch Adamyk to make it 5-1 heading into the 2nd intermission.
The Grizzlies would add another in the third but the Kings held strong and closed out a 5-2 win. Mitch Adamyk stopped 25 for his 20th win of the year. Powell River now moves just 3 points back of the Grizzlies in top spot of the Island Division, while pulling 9 clear of Nanaimo in 3rd.
Levi Glasman and Tyler Kuntz were guests on the post game show:
The Kings and Grizzlies battle in leg 2 of the weekend double header, Saturday at 5:00pm.
