Weekend Recap is presented by Iris Optometry.
After taking 3 of 6 points the previous weekend, the Kings returned home to take on the the Coastal Conference leading Surrey Eagles.
As you would expect, the Kings got off to a great start in the opening period on Friday, by scoring the opening goal once again. This time it was Christian Maro who had the honours scoring his third of the season on a breakaway midway through the first. The Eagles would manage to tie it at 18:32 as the leagues top two leading scorers Aaron Schwartz and Caden Cranston connected on a 2 on 1. Then 61 seconds later the Eagles would take the lead when Zach Wagnon scored as all of a sudden the Eagles took a 2-1 lead into the second.
Surrey would add one more in the second on the first BCHL goal from Sam Elliot, as they held a 3-1 lead to the third. Once again the Kings found themselves within striking distance in the third period, but the Eagles showed why they were one of the top teams in the BCHL, not allowing the Kings to get back in it, as the Eagles scored two more times in the period from Arvega Hovsepyan and Ryan Comishock to win by a score of 5-1.
The final shots were 28-27 for the Eagles, Ajeet Gundarah made 26 saves for Surrey while Tresor Wotton made 23 saves for the Kings. Only three penalties were called as the Kings went 0 for 2 and the Eagles 0 for 1. The 4 goal loss would also be the largest loss margin for the Kings this season.
On Saturday the Kings looked to bounce back big time and return to to the win column. However the Eagles picked up right were they left off scoring twice in the first 3 minutes. First it was Arvega Hovsepyan on Surrey’s first shot of the game at 1:36, then Zach Wagnon would pot another at 2:14. The Kings would call their time out after giving up to early goals and it seemed to pay off. From that point on the Kings started to play their game and put pressure on the Eagles D and goalie Jaiden Sharma. They would put 8 shots on goal with the best chance coming from Zander Stewart in which he hit the post as the Kings were held scoreless in the first.
It wouldn’t take long for the Eagles to extend their lead to 3 as Zach Wagnon notched his second of the game 24 seconds in. Although now down by a trio of goals after gaining some momentum at the end of the first the Kings responded quickly and got their first of the game 90 seconds later when Anthony Lucarelli send a pass to the front of the net to Thomas Belzil who buried it past a sprawling Sharma for his third of the year and first at the Hap. Now with a goal under their belt the Kings really started to get rolling. They would get back within one at 9:29 at the tail end of a 4 on 4 scenario, Noah Eyre would chip the puck down the ice from his own end and chase after that, while that was happening it turned into a Eagle man advantage. Eyre stayed on the puck and with Eagles defender Ty Brassington all over him he would drive to the net for a shot but it was denied. However the rebound would up on the stick of Anthony Lucarelli who fired it passed a screened Sharma for a shorthanded marker. The goal would be Lucarelli’s 7th and his first since committing to Long Island University earlier in the week. It would be a great second period for the Kings who out shot the Eagles 12-5 and once again put themselves in a good position heading to the third period.
The Kings would push for the equalizer early in the third, Brendan Giles would have the best chance making a great deke at the blueline to create a grade A opportunity but Shama made the save. The Kings continued to build momentum, but they would kill it at their own doing with a few penalties. They would manage to kill them off to keep themselves within one but the Kings didn’t have much time left. They would have the puck in the offensive zone with the extra attacker, the puck would end up on the stick of Noah Eyre, he went for the shot but his stick broke on the attempt leaving the door wide open for the Eagles to head down to the empty net in which Aaron Schwartz puck the puck into to seal a 4-2 win.
The final shots were 27-27 with Owen Crudale making 23 saves as he bounced back nicely after a shaky start. The power play would be a difference make for the Kings as they went 0 for 6 with four of those man advantages coming down by one. On the flip side the penalty was sensational going 4 for 4.
The Kings are now 4-11-2-0 on the season and 1-7-2-0 in their last 10 games. They will now hit the road next weekend as they return to the lower mainland. They will play in Coquitlam against the Express on Friday at 7pm then on Saturday the will the Chilliwack Chiefs at 6pm in what will be the first of 3 consecutive meetings with the Chiefs. The next home games are November 24th & 25th against the Chiefs. Both games are at 7pm.
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