A slow start and a game plan that wasn’t fully executed until the third period cost the Kings a result in game 1 of their Island Division final series against the Nanaimo Clippers, falling by a score of 4-1.
A tentative Powell River start was cashed in on early from the Nanaimo Clippers who opened the scoring less than 4 minutes in via Spencer Hewson on a 2-on-1 rush down the ice. The Kings were caught in the offensive zone with the middle of the ice opened up, Hewson was able to bury on a cross ice pass for his 1st of the playoffs. Despite the setback, the Kings led in the shots on goal stat by a 12-9 margin.
The 2nd period saw the Kings stray further from what’s made them successful this season as the Clippers turned up the heat and took advantage of opportunities they generated. A 2-0 lead would eventuate when Lucas Finner poked home a goal line pass from Troy MacTavish, Finner’s 1st of the playoffs.
Into the third and the Kings would cut the lead as Adam Brubacher fired a shot from the centre blue line that grazed off Betts and over the pad of goaltender Evan Johnson. Betts’ third of the playoffs made it a one goal game.
The Kings pushed in the third, and played well. But despite the pressure and the Clippers bending, the home team did not break. Devin Brosseau restored the two goal lead late in the frame on another odd man rush down the ice, before the Clippers iced it with an empty netter just over one minute from time.
Jeff Smith took the loss in net, stopping 29 shots and moving his and the Kings record to 4-3 in the playoffs, and behind 1-0 in the series to Nanaimo.
https://soundcloud.com/powell-river-kings/march-18th-postgame
Three Stars of the Game
- Lucas Finner (Clippers) – 1 goal
- Kyle Betts (Kings) – 1 goal
- Spencer Hewson (Clippers) – 1 goal
Game 2 in the series is on Saturday at 7:00pm from the Frank Crane Arena. Games 3 and 4 are back in Powell River on Monday and Tuesday nights.
