So you have two teams who are struggling to put the puck in the net and before you know it we've got two goals in the first couple of minutes of the Kings versus Mills.
Sean Maguire got the start for the Kings and it was kind of deja vu when Quesnel squeezed one through his legs just 57 seconds into the action.
Kings came storming back when Jon Jutzi scored his first in the BCHL on a nice shot from the blueline that found the top of the net to tie 1-1 at 2:19.
A couple of new Kings were introduced during this game and the Hawryluks – Bond and Brendon – had themselves a couple of very nice shifts that earned each of them a goal.
Bond got his when Steven Schmidt won a faceoff and he drifted a shot high into the net to give the Kings a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period.
Pettitt scored his first of three goals on a nice powerplay pass from Niddery to start off the second.
Brendon Hawryluk scooped up a rebound off a Kachur drive from the point and then Cohen Adair scored on another gem from Niddery to put the Kings into a comfortable 5-1 lead after two periods.
Quesnel got their second on a deflected shot that hopped over Maguire's shoulder but Pettitt scored two more special team goals – one on the powerplay and one shorthanded to give the Kings a convincing 7-2 win.
It was Maguire's first BCHL win and even after the early goal he wasn't about to let this one get away.
“I said to myself that's the last one,” said Maguire after the game.
He looked much more relaxed in his second start and said, “I was enjoying myself from the start of the game trying to have as much fun as possible but at the same time keep it serious.”
“I think I did a good job of that tonight.”
Also getting a first was Jon Jutzi.
“There was a big crowd in front of the net,” he said of his goal in the first period, “and I snuck one through.”
Scoring seven against Halcrow wasn't expected but the Kings were prepared to battle.
“We were just thinking we had to throw a lot of pucks at the net, get traffic and make it life difficult for him and that's what we did so we got a lot of goals,” smiled Jutzi.
Pettitt got three of them but stressed that he is trying to be more of a complete player this year.
“Gotta work on my defensive game first but once I got that the goals are coming now so it's really all a work in progress.”
“You're working with new guys,” he explained, “but we're all making the effort and it's starting to come together.”
His hat trick goal was a beauty as he teamed up with Cohen Adair.
“He wheeled right past me actually,” chuckled Pettitt, “but I glided into the slot and he put it right on the tape and I put one shot on and the goalie made a good pad save but it was just sitting there so I just whacked at it again and it went in.”
Cowichan is in town Saturday night and Pettitt says he expects a battle.
“I haven't seen them at all or heard much about them this year but obviously they're going to play us hard,” he said, “every team does.”
“We're going to have to put tonight behind us and come in with a fresh mindset and have a good game.”
Ron Armitage Mens Wear Three Stars:
1. Andrew Pettitt
2. Chad Niddery
3. Craig Dalrymple
