Note: The Kings would like to apologize for the audio quality on tonight’s HockeyTV broadcast. We’ve taken steps to improve this and anticipate the audio to be significantly better on both the HockeyTV feed and our Facebook Live broadcasts moving forward.
Josh Coblenz notched his second hattrick of the season, scoring a pair of huge third period goals that included the eventual game winner and insurance markers as the Kings recorded their 4th straight win, a 5-3 decision over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Friday night at the Hap.
Alberni drew first blood, 4:35 in as Bulldogs defenceman Marcus Walter fired a puck to the low slot that cannoned off the boots of Mackenzie Wight and in past Mitch Adamyk for a 1-0 lead. The goal stopped Adamyk’s shutout streak at 133:08, stemming from a 3rd period goal against Chilliwack a couple of weeks prior. The Kings would counter back 2 minutes later as Jayden Lee got two shots on goal. The first stopped by goaltender John Hawthorne, but the rebound kicked right back to him where he’d bury on the 2nd effort, Lee’s first in Powell River and 2nd of the season and it was tied at 1.
The Kings took their first lead of the game through Josh Coblenz late in the period as he got a pass from Ben Thomas who took a hit to make a play, walked in and fired past Hawthorne for his 8th of the year and a 2-1 lead. Alberni would pull that back on a late powerplay through Jackson Doucet, and a 2-2 score after 20 with the Bulldogs outshooting the Kings 13-10.
Alberni got the lone goal of the second period, another powerplay marker through Mitch Deelstra and it was 3-2 Bulldogs after 40, despite the Kings outshooting the visitors by 6 in the frame and leading 23-20 after 40.
Into the third and the Kings got the equalizer early. Five minutes in Ryan Brushett beat a potentially distracted Hawthorne, who had been engaged in a conversation with the referee, while play continued down the other end following some contact in the crease. Brushett cashed in on a goal just as a powerplay expired, his team-leading 20th of the season and it was a 3-3 game. Brushett in scoring, becomes the 7th player to score 20 or more this season and is in a 6-way share of 2nd place for league goal scoring.
The eventual game winner came a few minutes later as Josh Coblenz lofts a puck to net that beats Hawthorne who was screened by Ethan Schmunk, Coblenz’s 9th of the year and a 4-3 lead. Coblenz would complete the hattrick before the period was up, sprung on a break by Matthew Byrne and sliding 5-hole for his 10th and a 5-3 lead. The Kings defence denied Alberni many chances in the final period, limiting to just 2 shots on goal in the final frame to close out a 5-3 win.
Mitch Adamyk picks up the win in net, his 12th, as the Kings improve to 17-12 on the season, and 2-1 over the Bulldogs this year.
The Kings wrap a 7-game home stand on Saturday night, closing out a weekend double header against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Puck drop at at 5:00pm.
