The Powell River Kings have taken an early advantage in their best of seven Island Division Semi Final series against the Nanaimo Clippers, by scoring once in the first, second and third periods for a 3-2 win and a 1-0 series lead.
(Unfortunately due to technical issues, there are no video highlights available for tonight’s game)
A frantic start to the first period as both teams looked for the early edge. It was the Kings to gain the first advantage as Ethan Kimball went in to hunt down a puck and pick off a D-to-D pass then fed Levi Glasman out front of the goal who was able to tap in from the far post for the first goal of the playoffs and a 1-0 Kings lead. That stood up through 20 minutes as the Kings carried a bulk of the play in a spirited and quick moving first period.
Nanaimo got on the board early in the second period on an ugly goal as Hunor Torzsok shot a puck to goal from the right wall just below the hash marks, a puck that snuck five hole on an adjusting Adamyk for a 1-1 score. Powell River went to a powerplay shortly after the goal and retook the lead less than two minutes later as the Kings kept a play alive in the offensive zone, with Levi Glasman rifling a puck rink over to Ben Berard to one-time from the faceoff dot, his 1st of the playoffs and 2-1 Kings lead.
The Clippers would tie the game up midway through the second period on another ugly one with Sammy Steele shooting from the right wall in a similar position to Toszsok’s goal earlier on, this time a shot up high came off Adamyk’s shoulder and looped over the goaltender and into the net for a 2-2 game through 40 minutes.
A slow start to the third with a few whistles eventually gave way to the Kings under pressure in their own zone before the Kings got control of a puck through Glasman who carried down the wing, centred to Kimball who got a puck on goal with Mitch Williams burying a rebound from Jordan Naylor for a 3-2 Kings lead.
Mitch Adamyk shut the door the rest of the way as the Kings won game 1 by a 3-2 score, taking a 1-0 series lead.
Brock Sawyer and Ethan Kimball joined Alex Rawnsley for the Facebook Live postgame show:
The Kings and Clippers continue their series on Saturday night, a 5:00pm start at Hap Parker Arena.
