After picking up a point the night before in the shootout the Kings would go toe to toe with the Grizzlies for the final time this season and the Kings would look to avoid being swept in the season series.
In the first period the game would have the same feel as the night before with both teams trading chances in another intense affair. The Kings would strike first on the power play 14 minutes into the period as Casey Aman would fire a wrister on goal from the blue line and it beat a screened Kyle Kelsey by his blocker as Casey would get his 6th goal of the season. With 2 minutes left in the first the Kings would head to the penalty kill which has been a strong part of their game over the last little while as coming into this game they have killed 11 straight penalties. The Grizzlies would do everything they can to get the equalizer before the first period and just when it seemed like the Kings would head to the intermission with the lead Ellis Rickwood would send a pass to the net front for Kalen Szeto who would tip the puck past Brice with 1.6 seconds remaining in the period to head to the break tied at 1.
With momentum shifting in favour of the Grizzlies after the last second goal they would continue to roll and takeover in the second period. They would get the lead 1:15 when Jack Gorton potted in a rebound, then they would extend the lead to two when Kalen Szeto scored on the Grizzlies second power play of the game, and then the road team would add one more when Luc Pelletier scored off another rebound in front as the Grizzlies would take a 4-1 lead heading into the final period.
At the start of the third the Grizzlies would apply some early pressure trying to make the lead even bigger but the Kings would hold off the early chances. The Kings would crawl back within two when the local boys Caleb Parkhouse and Nic Porchetta went in on a rush. Caleb Parkhouse would try to feed Nic Porchetta in front but Matthew Wood would breakup the pass, however Caleb Parkhouse would get the puck at the side of the net below the goal line and bank it off the back of Kyle Kelsey and in for his 10th of the season. Nic would get a assist as he initially started the rush to extend his point streak to 7 games. Now with momentum back on their side the Kings would push to get back within one. With 3:36 to goal Hunter Andrew took a shot on the doorstep with was initially stopped by Kelsey but Andrew would get an extra jab in and the puck would go in the net, but the referee who was right behind the net waved it off and the Kings would remain a two goal deficit. No explanation was given to why it wasn’t a goal. The Kings would follow that up with a fantastic shift with the extra attacker but the Grizzlies would add two empty netters to win 6-2.
The Kings would fail to pick up a point in the loss but thanks to the Chilliwack Chiefs the Kings remain in 8th one point on the Capitals who lost to the Chiefs. Both the Kings and the Caps have 5 games remaining and it is shaping up that only one of these teams will make the playoffs as the Coquitlam Express are 3 points of on the Kings and 4 on the Capitals with 3 games in hand.
Just two home games remain for the Kings and they are going to be the two biggest of the season with the Coquitlam Express in town. The games will be Saturday night at 7pm and Sunday afternoon at 1:30pm. After Sundays game the Kings will present their annual team awards.
Get your tickets at tickets.powellriverkings.com
