Weekend recap is presented by Iris Optometry.
After a split with the Bulldogs at home the weekend prior the Kings returned to action for a 3 games in 3 days that started at home Friday against the Vernon Vipers.
The Vipers would control the game early, not giving the Kings much time with a puck. They would end up on a early powerplay and would score right after it expired when Lee Parks put the puck into the net at 3:25. The Vipers would then extend the lead to two midway through when Regan Millburn snuck behind the Kings D and made a nifty move to get it past Kyle Metson as the Vipers held a two goal lead going into the second.
Over the last little bit being down has not phased the Kings and they would show their resilience again in the second period. First Karter McNarland would score his 9th at 2:46 going bardown over Ethan David, then Anthony Yu would muscle the puck in on a partial breakaway at 7:21 for his 14th. The Vipers would regain the lead with 5 minutes left in the period on a power play when Hank Cleaves pounded in a one timer for the right circle as the Vipers head to the third with a 3-2 advantage.
The Kings would tie it up again on a power play of their own at 2:55 when Jack Blanchett did exactly what Hank Cleaves did to score his 12th to knot the game up at 3. The Vipers would take the lead right back on another man advantage at 10:15 when Julian Facchinelli scored off the rush to make it 4-3 but the Kings evened it up once again 3 minutes later when Adam Mendelson tipped in a Sam Schoenfeld shot for his 6th on the year as we are now tied 4-4. At 18:17 the Vipers would jump back in front on a odd man rush when Lee Parks scored his second of the game pouncing on the rebound of a Reagan Millburn shot at the Vipers were up 5-4 with under two minutes to go. The Kings battle all night to come back and tie it but you wondered if they had it in them again to do so. Well, in the final minute with the extra attacker out, Anthony Lucarelli would win the offensive zone faceoff and Ryder Ringor would get the puck in the slot, his initial shot would be stopped but he got it back and made no mistake this time putting in the back of the net with 46 seconds to score his 7th and send the game to OT.
In OT the Kings outplayed the Vipers outshooting them 6-1 but were unable to solve Ethan David as we headed to a shootout. With the first 5 shooters unable to score it came down to Conner Elliot who had the chance to win it for Vernon and he did just that making a nice deke to beat Metson and win the game for Vernon.
It was a hard fought point for the Kings as they had to quickly regroup to hit the road Saturday night in Port Alberni against the Bulldogs.
After a scoreless first period the Bulldogs opened the scoring at 2:03 when Ethan Bono put the puck into the open after a scramble in front to make it 1-0. Like we saw in the game before against Vernon the Kings came back to tie it up just over a minute later on a power play when Casey Aman’s wrist shot from the point got through the traffic and into the back of the net to make it 1-1. The Bulldogs would get the lead back at 7:28 on a 2 on 1 when Owen Desilets kept it and shot it to score his 1st of the year, as Alberni took a 2-1 lead into the third.
The Kings were able to comeback from multiple deficits on Friday but it was not meant to be in this one as the Bulldogs would put this game out of reach early in the third. First Cam VanSickle scored on a powerplay at 1:37 then Matt Kursonis would score at 2:07 to make it 4-1. The Bulldogs would add one more in the final minute from Nic Beneteau to seal a 5-1 win for Alberni. Despite being a 4 goal loss the game was much closer than the score as the Kings fired 40 shots on net but Hobie Hedquist was dialed in making 39 saves.
On Sunday the Kings would look to end the weekend on a high not as they took on the Capitals in afternoon matinee at the big stick.
The Kings would start this one from behind again as Matthew Biros opened the scoring on the Caps first shot of the game at 4:36, but like they have all weekend the Kings answered back soon after. They would tie it a 6:42 when Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero fed Adam Mendelson in front of the net who then out waited Lukas Renaud and tucked around his pad for his 7th on the season. The Kings would then take the lead at 15:23 when Casey Aman did a full lap in the offensive zone with the puck then send it to the front of the net where Karter McNarland tapped it in to make it 2-1 Kings going into the third.
The Caps would tie the game up in the second period at 7:12 when Capitals captain Ian Kern would fire a loose puck on net, which snuck through the legs of Liam Vanderkooi to make it 2-2. The Kings would take the lead back at the end of the second on a power play when Anthony Yu went cross ice to Anthony Lucarelli who slid it five hole for his 14th which ties Yu for the team lead.
It was 3-2 Kings entering the third period and they would turn the lead to two goals 3 minutes in when Casey Aman once again fed the puck to Karter McNarland, this time it was to the back door as McNarland scored his second of the game. McNarland would cap of a great game 8 minutes into the period as he took a pass from Parker Lalonde, then he took the shot and it got pass the glove of Renaud to get the hat trick and 12 of the season. It would be the first hat trick by a Kings this season and the first since he did it last in October of 2021 at the BCHL showcase against Cranbrook. The Kings would manage to hold the fort down the rest of the way and picked up a crucial 5-2 win.
Casey Aman and Parker Lalonde would each have two assists while Ryder Ringor and Jack Blanchett extended their point streaks to four games collecting an assist each in the victory. The win would also be the 14th on the season for the Kings surpassing their total from last season as they now have a record of 14-23-3-3.
The Kings would take 3 of a possible 6 points on the weekend and expand their cushion in the coastal conference remaining in 7th now 7 points ahead on Langley and 11 in front of Cowichan with 11 games remaining.
Up next the Kings are back on the road as they will make the long trip up to Prince George to meet with the Spruce Kings Friday night at 7pm then on Saturday they will be in Chilliwack to meet the Chiefs for the final time this year at 6pm. The next home games for the Kings will be March 3 & 4 in a double header with the Victoria Grizzlies. Both games are at 7pm and don’t forget the March 3rd is Western Night presented by Rural Septic and March 4th is billet appreciation night.
Watch the Massullo Motors weekend highlights | www.powellriverkings.com/highlights
