The Kings put themselves in a position to win, but for the second time in the last 3 games, the Kings weren’t able to convert a late lead into a victory, falling 7-5 to the Chilliwack Chiefs on Saturday night.
Following a low effort, low energy game on Friday night to Prince George, the Kings came out firing in the first period as Christian Buono broke the deadlock by going to the front of the net and burying a Ryan Brushett chance for a 1-0 lead. Chilliwack would get the goal back on the following shift via a defensive breakdown from the Kings and the game was tied at 1.
Midway through the period, Powell River would turn a solid opening period where they outchanced the Chiefs into three unanswered goals. First, Josh Coblenz got a feed high in the slot and buried upstairs for his 6th and a 2-1 game. 2 minutes later Mitchell Williams jammed the front of the net for his first goal in 8 games and a 3-1 score. Then a minute later, a fortunate bounce as a pass from Jayden Lee went the length of the ice with icing waved off, bouncing off a seam in the boards and shooting out in front of the goal with Chief netminder Mathieu Caron stranded behind. Levi Glasman on a forecheck tapped home into an empty net for his 8th and a 4-1 lead. Chilliwack would get one late in the period and the Kings lead 4-2 through 20.
Into the 2nd and a good start from the Kings, as a solid forecheck from Ethan Schmunk forced a turnover and a pass out to high in the zone where Matt Rickard stepped into a shot and buried his 2nd as a King and a 5-2 lead.
From there however, Chilliwack would begin to take advantage of a Kings team straying from the game plan. Five unanswered goals through the second and third periods, including an empty netter to former King Nathan Kelly and the Chiefs ran away 7-5 winners at the Hap.
The Kings continue a 7-game homestand on Tuesday night, a 7:00pm start against the Bulldogs.
