Game: Nanaimo Clippers vs Powell River Kings
Arena: Hap Parker Arena
Puck Drop: 7:15pm
Broadcast: Starts at 6:55pm
95.7 Coast FM in Powell River
Kings Broadcast Network
FastHockey PPV Video
Kings Record: 20-14-0-2 (2nd Island)
Opposition Record: 25-12-0-1 (1st Island)
After a 10 day break, the Kings rattled off a pair of wins over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs by a combined 7-1 score on Wednesday and Thursday nights. A 2-1 overtime win on Wednesday was followed up by a 5-0 shutout on Thursday.
Tonight is Nanaimo’s first game since the Christmas break and entered it on a 3-game win streak, while also winning 8 of the team’s 10 December games.
- Kent Lewis made some adjustments to the lines for Wednesday and Thursday and saw some immediate return on his shuffle. Hunter Findlater put together his best back to back games, while Liam Lawson fit well with Kyle Betts and Tristan Mullin as he adjusted to playing along the right wing wall. The “little line” skated well, scored in both games and drew penalties while the 3rd unit of Austin Kamer, Mitchell Hawes/Josh Coblenz, Chris Protopoulos was difficult to play against. Look for more of the same tonight.
- With respect to Alberni, it’ll be a much bigger test for the Kings tonight and tomorrow as they go up against one of the best teams in the league and has had the division lead from opening night. Nanaimo threatens as one of the highest scoring teams in the league, have a veteran blue line and have sorted out some earlier goaltending issues. Dangerous from front to back.
- Nanaimo features the league’s leading scorer in Sheldon Rempel who hit 40 goals before the Christmas break and could be a real shot to hit 60+ by season end. For comparison, the Kings leading goal scorer over the last few years was Jacob Pritchard with 39. Even Matt Garbowsky “only” notched 44 in his final season with the Kings back in 2010.
- He’s obviously a special player and anchors a special line for the Clippers along with Matt Hoover and Devin Brosseau with a combined 84-101-185. The next highest scoring forward is Chris Dodero with 26 points, less than half that of Brosseau and Hoover who have put up a mere 54 points in 38 games. The meat in the scoring sandwich is defenceman Yanni Kaldis, 4th in team scoring with 8 goals and 36 assists.
- With those numbers, the obvious goal tonight is to shut down that top line. Rempel has been held off the scoresheet 3 times this season, Hoover 9 (including 1 vs PR) and Brosseau 6. The three have not been scoreless in the same game this season, with Alberni the closest team to shut all three down by allowing just Hoover to score a point (goal) in their November 13th game.
- I would imagine Jeff Smith would go this weekend. These are the games where you play your number 1 guy and Smith has been that this season. Wornig was excellent in Thursday against Alberni and he’ll almost certainly see action this coming weekend when the Kings hit the road.
- This will be the 4th and 5th matchups of the season series between the Kings and Clippers. It’s been 102 days since the pair last met on September 19th in Nanaimo. The Kings have 2 wins against Nanaimo this season.
- It’s the start of January and still a long way to go, but you have to think this pair of games has 1st place in the Division on the line. The Kings can’t catch Nanaimo this weekend, but a sweep of the Clippers closes the current 9-point gap down to 5 and the Kings would still have 2 games in hand, and a 3rd coming on Wednesday when the Clippers play next. If the Clippers sweep the Kings, that gap goes to 13 points and even with the games in hand that’d be a tough one to close with how Nanaimo has played consistently this season. A weekend split would also favour Nanaimo more than Powell River.
- To throw a wrench in the equation above, these two teams play again next Saturday night in Nanaimo.
- Finally, again that equation above…a great quote came from Kevin Willison of the Bulldogs on Thursday. “Games in hand are only good if you win them, otherwise they’re useless.”
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. We’ll talk with Kent Lewis in the pre-game show on the team’s return to action and the standings scenario against the Nanaimo Clippers. In the 1st intermission, we’ll have chats with Stefan Wornig, Josh Coblenz, Andy Stevens and Gavin Rauser. In the 2nd break, we’ll talk with Clippers play caller Dan Marshall on Nanaimo’s stretch drive. Brock Sawyer will join us after 60 in the post-game show.
We’re down to the final few days of the 2015/2016 Powell River Kings Dream Lottery!
Ticket sales are strong, but there are still a few left…and your chance to grab them is running out. Tickets will be available at the Kings office until the end of the 1st intermission during Sunday January 3rd’s game against the Nanaimo Clippers. Ticket booths are also set up at the Town Centre Mall (between Walmart and People’s Jewelers), Canadian Tire and Safeway ahead of Sunday’s game.
Online tickets are still available, you can go to http://www.prkingsdreamlottery.ca to purchase, however ticket sales through the website will be shut down at 10:00pm on Saturday January 2nd. Tickets are $100 each.
The 50/50 Jackpot is surging, and currently sits at over $39,000, with the winner taking half. 50/50 Tickets are available when you purchase a Dream Lottery ticket, and are $20 each.
All information, prize lists, rules and regulations are online at http://www.prkingsdreamlottery.ca. The team will conduct the draw during the 2nd Intermission of Sunday’s game against the Nanaimo. It’ll be broadcast live on the Network, 95.7 CoastFM and FastHockey PPV as well.
