The Powell River Kings scored first on the road, but it was a five-goal second period from the visitors to help Powell River to their second straight win and third in a row on the road, a 6-3 win over the Langley Rivermen at the Lodge on Friday night.
After an arduous and lengthy travel day that saw the Kings delayed en route to Langley courtesy a king tide at Langdale ferry terminal, the team got the dream start and opened the scoring. Ryan Pouliot got a puck at the blue line and found the back of the net for his 5th of the year and a 1-0 lead. Langley would counter with a pair of goals before the first was over and carried a 2-1 lead into the break.
Powell River would start shorthanded into the 2nd period, however the Kings tied the game as Josh Coblenz celebrated his 150th game as King with a shorthanded partial-breakaway goal, his 13th of the season. The goal means Coblenz has scored more goals this season that in the previous two and a half combined. The Kings would take the lead for the second and final time on a nice move from Ryan Brushett who made a move that forced the defenceman to bite, allowing Brushett to skate around and bury for his co-league leading 25th of the year and a 3-2 advantage.
Midway through the period, the Kings went to their first powerplay of the game and needed just 8 seconds to convert as Levi Glasman rolled off the circle and found Neal Samanski in front for his 7th goal of the season and 50th point in the BCHL, a 4-2 lead. Just over three minutes later, again off a faceoff, Ethan Kimball won a draw through his opponent’s legs then centred for the puck to come off Ethan Schmunk and into the open cage. Schmunk’s 5th of the season and a 5-2 advantage. Just over a minute later, the Kings rounded out the five-goal period as Levi Glasman and Brushett skated in and teed up Glasman at the side of the net, a tap in for his 9th of the year and a 6-2 lead.
Langley would score on the powerplay as the game turned physical. Before the goal, on a delayed penalty coming against Kyle Kawamura, Ryan Pouliot reluctantly dropped the gloves against Rivermen defenceman Ryan Helliwell…the result of an ongoing battle between Pouliot and a handful of Rivermen players through the game.
The Kings would hold the fort for the remainder of the game as Mitch Adamyk won his 6th straight start, and 15th game of the season, a 26 save performance in a 6-3 win. Powell River’s record improves to 20-13-1-0 with the win.
The Kings continue a 3-game weekend trip in Merritt on Saturday night, a 7:00pm start.
