Carter Turnbull scored his team-leading 23rd goal of the season, a powerplay tally in the third period, but it wasn’t enough as the Vees used a pair of Wyatt Sloboshan goals, plus a pair of empty netters to slide past the Kings 4-1 on Friday night at the Hap Parker Arena.
One of the most entertaining and fast-paced periods of the year featured as the opening frame between the Kings and the Vees. While the visitors came out with a bit more jump, it was the Kings to soon gain the ascendancy but out-shooting and out-chancing the Vees. Aggressive moves to keep pucks in, a relentless forecheck and solid waves of offence yielded a lot of zone time, and shots on goal, but nothing on the scoreboard.
It was the Vees to strike first, a minute after the games first powerplay expired as Sloboshan walked in and fired a quick-release writer past Adamyk for his 1st in the BCHL and a 1-0 advantage that stood up through 20. Shots 12-8 Powell River.
No scoring in the 2nd as the Kings continued to pepper Penticton goaltender Adam Scheel with rubber, outshooting the Vees 10-4 in the frame, but still coming away empty as the game stayed a 1-0 score through 40.
Into the third and the Vees took a 2-0 advantage, again through Sloboshan who lobbed a backhand past a re-adjusting Adamyk for a 2-0 lead. The Kings got on the scoreboard midway through as Ben Berard found Jonny Evans up the wall, who then went cross-slot to find Carter Turnbull in the middle and redirecting a puck home, his 23rd and a 2-1 game.
The Kings would roll the dice late, but all to no avail as the Vees scored twice into the empty net for a 4-1 win. Mitch Adamyk stopped 22/24 in net as the Kings dropped to 23-15-4-4, and with a Victoria tie against the Clippers it drops them to 2nd place in the Division, one back of Victoria and 4 up on Nanaimo in 3rd place.
Here’s what Kings assistant coach Brock Sawyer had to say after the game:
Three Stars of the Game
1. Wyatt Sloboshan (Vees) – 2 goals
2. Adam Scheel (Vees) – 29 saves
3. Josh Coblenz (Kings)
The Kings host the Nanaimo Clippers on Saturday night, a 5:00pm start at the Hap Parker Arena.
