The Kigns will be facing off against the Surrey Eagles in the Coastal Conference Finals.
Tickets for the Coastal Conference Final will be available at the Kings' office starting Monday morning at 9am. The office will be open from 9am to 5pm.
Games 1 and 2 are set to take place at The Hap Parker Arena on Tuesday March 27th and Wednesday March 28th at 7:00pm.
Tickets are $15/adult, $12/youth ages 13 to 18, and $9 for children between the ages of 6 to 12. Children aged 5 and under are free.
The schedule for the series is as follows:
CONFERENCE FINALS
GAME 1 TUE MARCH 27 – Powell River
GAME 2 WED MARCH 28 – Powell River
GAME 3 FRI MARCH 30 – Surrey
GAME 4 SAT MARCH 31 – Surrey
GAME 5 MON APRIL 2 – Powell River, if necessary
GAME 6 TUE APRIL 3 – Surrey, if necessary
GAME 7 THU APRIL 5 – Powell River, if necessary
Game 6 Review:
The Kings have advanced to the Coastal Conference Final for the fourth time in as many years, defeating the Coquitlam Express by a score of 4-1 in game 6 on Friday night, winning the series 4-2 in the process.
The Kings once again got their trademark first goal, this time through Chris Williams throwing a puck towards the net, it finding a deflection off a Coquitlam player and in past Cole Huggins for a 1-0 lead. The goal was the Captain’s first point of the playoffs.
The lead didn’t last long, as the Express Captain Alex Petan scored on a similar play, this time after a good save from Sean Maguire, Malcolm McKinney threw it towards the slot where it batted off Petan and into the net for a 1-1 game, just 1:21 after the Kings took the lead. That’s the way it stayed through 20 minutes, with shots even at 10.
Into the 2nd, and the Kings scored within the opening three minutes. On what wound up being the game winning goal, Evan Richardson skated smoothly onto a drop pass from Teal Burns, Richardson cut to the slot, and roofed his 1st of the playoffs and a 2-1 lead. That would hold up through 40, with the Kings taking a slight lead in shots on goal 19-18. The big story in the 2nd though was the play of Sean Maguire. He made several highlight-reel saves, including many in quick succession to keep the Express at bay.
Into the 3rd and the Kings continued to press, trying to put the game away. They finally got a 2-goal lead, midway through the period, as Teal Burns got a one time shot in close on a loose puck from Cole Huggins, his 3rd of the playoffs and a 3-1 lead. Daniel Schuler iced the win 1:18 from time with a shorthanded empty net goal, and the Kings were able to shut down every Coquitlam rush, part with great defence, and part through great goaltending.
Here’s what Geoff Grimwood had to say after the win:
Three Stars of the Game
-
Teal Burns (Kings) – 1 goal, 1 assists
-
Sean Maguire (Kings) – 31 saves
-
Clinton Atkinson (Express)
The win was the first on the road this playoffs, and the first in Coquitlam this season. The Kings now wait for the winner of the Surrey/Cowichan series, which was forced to a game 7 on Friday night, as Cowichan scored from their own blue line, short handed. Game 7 goes Saturday night in Surrey. For the Kings, they will host Game 1 against either Surrey or Cowichan on Tuesday night at the Hap.
Game 5 review:
Kings stormed back in game five to win 3-2 and take a 3-2 series lead on Thursday night.
It was the Express's turn to take a two goal lead and lose it after they failed to put the Kings away.
Kerfoot got the first one at 18:15 of the opening period on the powerplay and John Siemer made a great move on Benton, then moved in alone on Maguire to give the Express a 2-0 lead at 6:04 of the second.
Kings switch goaltenders after that one and they responded to the strategy with three goals in the last ten minutes of the middle period.
Cohen Adair scored first at 10:41 on the powerplay, then Teal Burns converted a nice setup from Scarth and Richardson.
The third goal was a beauty with Villeneuve hitting MacDonald in the slot and he whirled and threw it over to Waugh at the side of the net and number 8 made no mistake on the one timer.
Kings got back to basics after that and stayed out of the box while hustling to keep the Express on their heels.
It wasn't exactly the way Kings coaches drew it up but then this series has taken plenty of twists and turns so don't expect game six to be like any of the others.
"It's been a wild series, that's for sure," said asst coach Chad van Diemen.
"In game four we got the early lead and I don't want to say we let up but we definitely let it slip and it changed with the powerplay goal for them."
"No different tonight when we got down 2-0 and then scored a big powerplay goal."
The goaltending switch always seems to be a motivating factor in hockey.
"Jonah did a good job," said van Diemen, "and with a powerplay goal we were able to turn the momentum around."
To be sure, the Express are going to be tough at home and for the Kings, they won't want to push it to game seven.
It should be a good one in Coquitlam on Friday.
Ron Armitage Mens Wear Three Stars:
1. Cohen Adair
2. Alex Petan
3. Jonah Imoo
