Coming off 2 wins at the BCHL Showcase the Kings looked to make it 3 in a row against the Coquitlam Express
The Kings didn’t get off to the most ideal start giving up the first goal 2:37 in before allowing a second at 8:23. The Kings would get on the board just over a minute later as Mark D’Agostino fed Karter McNarland who tapped in his 5th goal on the season and his 4th in 2 games to get the team back in it, then Powell River Native Caleb Parkhouse at the 15 minute mark of the first caught a breakaway after the Express defender fell down and make a nice move to the forehand to score his first on the season and tie the game at 2. Zak Brice would end up making 22 saves in the first period to keep this game close.
Once the game was tied the Kings never looked back scoring 4 goals (6 unanswered) to take control of the game. It started with Parker LaLonde 2:32 into the period flew down the right wing and fired it from the faceoff circle and beat Express netminder Adam Manji blocker side to give the Kings the lead. Ethan Riesterer would add the 4th goal of the game after beating Manji over the shoulder from the right side to notch his first on the season as well. The power play has been an area of concern early on in the season with just 4 goals in 6 games but the Kings PP finally clicked on Wednesday and it started with Branden Toye who deflected the point shot from Casey Amen to make it 5-2, then Mark D’Agostino scored his 3rd on the year after the missed point shot from Dylan Finlay would bank off the end boards right to D’Agostino who put it into the open net.
The Express would get off to a quick start in the 3rd scoring 36 seconds in but the Express got into penalty trouble and the Kings made them pay, as they would go on to score 3 PP goals in the final frame. Casey Aman tallied his first in the BCHL with a wicked wrister from the point beating goalie Conner Mackenzie who came in relief of Adam Manji at the start of the period. Parker LaLonde would add his second of the game after he tipped in a great hard pass from defenceman Jason Marsella. Then in the dying seconds Nic Porchetta would score his first after he poked in the loose puck in the crease off the hard slap shot from Sam Belanger.
The Kings would win 9-3 over the Express while the power play went 5 for 7 on the night. Coming into the game 11 Kings players were held without a point through 6 games and 7 of those guys walked out of the Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex with at least one while 5 players scored their first goal of the season. Parker LaLonde would end up with 4 points while Zak Brice made 40 saves in the Victory.
Up next the Kings hit the road in the Okanagan as they take on the West Kelowna Warriors at Royal Lepage Place on friday at 7pm.
