The Powell River Kings and Merritt Centennials combined for nearly 100 shots on goal Saturday night, but the Centennials lead in the only category that matters in the end, 6-4 in goals.
After weathering some early pressure from the Centennials, it was the Kings who opened the scoring as Cam Donaldson backhanded a rebound into an open net for his 11th of the season 12:43 into the frame.
A late power play gave the Centennials a chance to tie the game, and they did just that as a shot from the left point missed the net, but it bounced off the boards and out the other side for Michael Regush to tap home the tying goal with just 1:11 left in the frame.
Just 13 seconds into the second Tristan Mullin restored the Kings lead after the got the puck on a turnover at the Merritt blue line. He walked to the high slot before wiring a wrist shot over the glove of Jacob Berger for his eighth of the season.
The Centennials then rattled off four straight goals in the second period as Zach Risteau, Chase Bell, Zachary Zorn and Cade Gleekel all scored in just over a 11-minute span. The fifth Merritt goal by Gleekel chased Mitch Adamyk from the net, paving the way for Matteo Paller-Chow to make his BCHL debut.
After not scoring on a five-on-three power play opportunity, the Kings were able to solve Berger again while four-on-four as Donaldson deflected a shot from Liam Lawson past the goaltender to cut the lead to 5-3 8:18 into the third.
Five minutes later Merritt restored their lead as the captain Brett Jewell let go a dragging wrist shot from the slot that beat Paller-Chow over the blocker to make it 6-3.
The Kings scored a late power play goal as Jonny Evans tipped home his fifth of the season with Paller-Chow on the bench for the extra attacker with 2:31 left, but that’s as close as the Kings would come.
The Kings will quickly put the setback behind them as the have an afternoon game in Prince George to wrap up the three-game road trip. Puck drop is 3:00 at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
