Weekend recap is presented by Iris Optometry | Photo by Island Images Photography
For the first time in a month the Kings were on the road for their final two games before the Christmas break. The Kings took a 3 game win streak into Duncan on Friday to take on the Capitals.
Luke Lavery would get the scoring started just 4:49 in after he put in his own rebound, then the Capitals would extend the lead to two at 11:38 when Logan Camp would score once again off a rebound. The Kings would cut the deficit back to one with just over a minute left in the period when Anthony Yu made a no look pass from behind the net right on the tape to Anthony Lucarelli who one timed it in for his 9th of the season. However just 11 seconds later the Capitals would restore the two goal lead after Luke Strickland scored off a offensive zone face off as the Caps were up 3-1 after one period.
After a rough first period the Kings would awaken in the second and would go on to score 3 goals. First it was Anthony Lucarelli once again just 43 seconds into the period after he banked the puck of McCoy Bidewell as Lucarelli notched 2 goals in a game for the second consecutive time. Then at 7:39 on a 5 on 3 power play Ryder Ringor found Noah Eyre in the slot who then hammered the puck in for his 4th and to tie the game. and Finally at 12:29 Dylan Hewlett would drive to the net but lost the puck which luckily went to Turner Richards who put in into the net for his second of the year to give the Kings the lead 4-3 which they held going into the third.
As you would expect the Caps would push in the third period trying to tie the game but like we’ve seen many times this season, trailing the Kings in the third is a very tough task, and once again the Kings stood tall and made life difficult for the Capitals. Liam Vanderkooi made 9 of his 38 saves in the third period helping lead the way to a 4-3 victory as he picked up his first win since the 4th game of the season.
On Saturday the Kings would look to head into the Christmas break on a 5 game win streak as they stopped in Victoria to take on the Grizzlies.
It was a fairly even first 15 minutes between the two teams until the Grizzlies twice in two minutes at the end of the period. Owen Bohn would score in his 6th straight game to open the scoring then Olivier Picard would add one himself as the Grizzlies took at 2-0 lead after the first.
The Grizzles wasted no time getting a 3 goal lead in the second when Picard scored his second of the game just 9 seconds into a power play 1:04 into the period. There would be no scoring for the remainder of the period as the Kings would look to make a big comeback in the second. The Kings would get on the board at 8:11 after Karter McNarland scored his 6th of the season and it seemed to give the Kings the jolt they need but 4 minutes later right at the end of a Grizzlies power play Mason Culley would score to make it 4-1. Jack Gorton would add one more as the Kings fell 5-1 to the Grizzlies.
At the Christmas break the Kings are halfway through the season and sit with a record of 10-15-1-2 and are tied for 6th in the Coastal Conference with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
When games resume at the end of the month the Kings will be back in Victoria on December 30th for the rematch with the Grizzlies then on the 31st there will be a new years eve showdown in Alberni as they face the Bulldogs. Both games are at 7pm.
The Kings will return home for the first time in 2023 on January 6th against the Wenatchee Wild, then will face the Capitals the next night on the 7th. Once again both games will start at 7pm.
