Game: Powell River Kings vs Nanaimo Clippers
Arena: Frank Crane Arena
Puck Drop: 7:00pm
Broadcast: Starts at 6:40pm
95.7 Coast FM in Powell River
Kings Broadcast Network
FastHockey PPV Video
Kings Record: 31-18-1-3 (2nd Island)
Opposition Record: 35-17-1-1 (1st Island)
The Kings wrapped a 9-game home stand (7-0-1-1) with a lead, then come from behind win against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on Sunday afternoon. Powell River led 2-0, then conceded 4 straight…only to rebound for 3 unanswered en route to the victory. It capped a 3-out-of-4 weekend for the club after a 4-4 tie against Chilliwack on Friday night.
Nanaimo haven’t played since a mid week pair of wins against Cowichan and Alberni prior to last weekend…meaning the team has had 8 days off to prepare for this weekend. It got the team back on track after a disappointing 6-1 loss to the Vees at home to open February.
- First place in the Division is on the line this weekend as Nanaimo can clinch first place with a win tonight. Should that happen it will effectively guarantee a Powell River/Cowichan first round series beginning at the Hap. However…a Kings win and for Powell River, hopefully a pair of wins on the road, and the race is most certainly still wide open. The current gap between the two teams is 6 points with the Kings holding a game in hand.
- Certainly some lessons learned over the weekend from the Kings, who feel that four points was most certainly on offer against Chilliwack and Salmon Arm. What was frustrating is that the Kings put themselves in positions to win but gave up multi-goal leads in both. Salmon Arm’s game was reminisent of games against the Vees and Warriors earlier this year where Powell River controlled the opening period, then went to sleep in the middle frame. Stats back that assertion up as the Kings have given up just 35 first period goals this season compared to 58 in the second and 55 in the third.
- The Kings have been quite good against the Nanaimo Clippers this season, going 4-2 against a team that has gone pillar to post in first spot in the Division. The most recent outing was a narrow 3-2 loss in early January in Nanaimo, a game where the Kings largely felt quite good about how they played, only to give up the game winner off a third period faceoff. Prior to that game, the Kings controlled and frustrated Nanaimo in a pair at the Hap Parker Arena, getting four points in the first games of 2016. While the entire team chipped in, the pairing of Nick Nonis and Andy Stevens led the way and were often matched up against the Clippers Big 3. Up front, Nick Halagian, Mitchell Hawes and Austin Kamer got the bulk of the assignment.
- Last change goes the way of the Clippers tonight and tomorrow with home ice advantage. It means that the Kings will have to be a little more strategic if they want to get a particular matchup, but ultimately it’ll mean that every player will need to be aware of who’s out and what’s coming next.
- Faceoffs will be crucial tonight, not only for the game winner conceded off one last time out against Nanaimo. The Kings were 58-26 (W-L) against Salmon Arm on Sunday, a marked improvement from 30-40 against Chilliwack on Friday night. Mitchell Hawes went from 47.6% on Friday to 73.7% on Sunday, Carter Turnbull went 37.5% on Friday, to 80% on Sunday and Kyle Betts jumped from 66.7% to 76% between the games. Those types of numbers have to continue and will be a key in shutting down the Nanaimo offence. The Kings went 68-64 in the double header at the Hap to start 2016, and 27-22 two games later in Nanaimo.
- On the Big 3 of Rempal, Brosseau and Hoover…one piece is missing tonight as Sheldon Rempal will sit for the 2nd leg of his 2 game suspension. That’s stemming from the Cowichan game during the mid-week set last week where he was tossed and assessed an automatic 2-game suspension. Game 1 was last Thursday in Alberni…he’ll be back Saturday against the Kings. It dents Nanaimo’s offence a little, but doesn’t completely do away with it as Brosseau and Hoover are still very dangerous. Elsewhere, the addition of Gavin Gould at the deadline gives the team another top 6 scorer and players like Chris Dodero, Spencer Hewson and Nolan Aibel have played well against the Kings this year.
The broadcast goes live on 95.7 Coast FM in Powell River at 6:55pm. It will also be online on the Kings Broadcast Network and FastHockey PPV. In the 1st intermission, we’ll talk with Austin Kamer, Andy Stevens and Jeff Smith. Brock Sawyer will join us after 60 in the post-game show.
