Game: Powell River Kings vs Penticton Vees
Arena: South Okanagan Events Centre
Puck Drop: 6:00pm
Broadcast: Starts at 5:40pm
95.7 Coast FM in Powell River
Kings Broadcast Network
FastHockey PPV Video
Kings Record: 23-17-0-2 (T-2nd Island)
Opposition Record: 36-5-0-1 (1st Interior)
The Kings snapped a three game losing skid on the road with a 5-4 win in Surrey last night. Five different goal scorers contributed on the powerplay, shortanded and even strength for the win. The Kings are 4-3 in 2016.
Penticton won 6-2 in Merritt last night, missing six regulars out of the lineup including the highly touted Tyson Jost. It was the team’s 2nd straight win after having an undefeated record in 2016 ended with the teams first loss at home last Saturday against Salmon Arm
- After the team’s first road win in 2016 last night in Surrey, the Kings go from the BCHL’s worst record to the best in less than 24 hours. The Penticton Vees present the toughest challenge (standings wise) so far, well out in front of both the Interior Division and the BCHL.
- The Kings will get some reinforcements in the lineup tonight, well reinforcement. Kyle Betts returns and will I imagine suit up along side Tristan Mullin with Liam Lawson on the right. It’s the top line the Kings have gone with since returning from the Christmas break. The Kings will be without Jeff Smith, Curtis McCarrick and Mitchell Hawes. Smith stayed in the lower mainland to continue treatment on his groin injury and as Kent Lewis said last night “get better than 100%”. Hawes and McCarrick are in Powell River.
- Penticton are shorthanded too. The six that missed last night (Jost, Bast, Hannoun, Brooks, Burgart and Mendel) will all be absent tonight. It again takes a bit of the glamour away from tonight’s game as the game in Powell River was missing defenceman Dante Fabbro, who like Jost, is expecting to go top 10 or 15 in the NHL draft this June.
- The SOEC has not been a friendly building for the Kings since it opened last decade. The Kings are 0-8 in the building including two games in the Fred Page Cup in 2012. A few results have been blowouts (7-0 in 2011/2012), but the Kings have had more than a couple of chances to get on the board in the building including 2013/2014 when they held a 3-1 lead with a minute remaining, only to fall in OT.
- On the surface, Penticton are a lot like Nanaimo in the way they’re built. There’s obviously talent up and down the lineup, you don’t get to a record like Penticton have without a deep lineup. However there is a big line, the top threats. Scott Conway is that for the Vees tonight along with Easton Brodzinski. With Tyson Jost out, the top line centre spot will get filled elsewhere but it’s still a dangerous trio. I say they’re like Nanaimo in the way that if you can shut down the top scoring threat (like Rempal, but in this case Conway), then you’re a chance. The Kings did that beautifully against Nanaimo at home in early January…they’ll need that again here tonight. Expect Nonis and Stevens to get that assignment once more.
The broadcast goes live on 95.7 Coast FM in Powell River at 5:40pm. It will also be online on the Kings Broadcast Network and FastHockey PPV. In the 1st intermission, we’ll have chats with injured Kings forward Curtis McCarrick, the game winner from last night Nick Halagian and the opening goal scorer Austin Kamer. In the 2nd break, our player profile segment continues with Brandon Kennedy. Brock Sawyer will join us after 60 in the post-game show.
