The Kings did all the hard work early but were overrun by a strong Penticton Vees club en route to a 5-3 loss in Penticton on Saturday night.
- What an opening period, as close to textbook as the Kings have come in Penticton in a long long time. The Kings start with a powerplay courtesy a delay of game penalty assessed to the Vees from warmup and Kyle Betts converts by tipping a Rylan Ball point shot. Penticton looked slow, disorganised and disinterested in chasing the Kings.
- 2-0 when Tristan Mullin cashes in on a Vees turnover by their bench and the Kings in firm control. Through the first 5 minutes the Kings were near untouchable as Stefan Wornig didn’t face a shot until midway through the frame, shots were 7-1 at one point.
- The Vees first was a little weird. A wrap around that had a lot of net to aim for as it looked like Stefan Wornig didn’t even make an effort to get across the crease. I can only assume something prevented him from getting over, whether he got tied up on the net or in traffic, it was a wide open net.
- A quick response though from the Kings as they get another opportunity on the powerplay and convert, again through a Rylan Ball point shot which again finds the back of the goal, this time without help in front.
- Opportunity was the word from the first 20. Look at all three goals and it was the Kings cashing on on opportunities they were given. Betts and Ball on the powerplay, Mullin on the turnover. Capitalise on your chances and good things happen.
- Into the second period and the Vees began to come alive. Two goals in the period as they dictated play early and often. Shots were 11-0 at one point in the frame. The Kings did enough defensively, but pressure continued to build and the Kings weren’t able to find their footing in the middle frame, seeing a 3-1 lead disappear and wind up tied at 3 into the 2nd intermission.
- The 3-3 goal just a heartbreaker and a real turning point in the game. The Kings with clean control in their own zone get too fancy, try to do too much against a Vees club that was backing off. The outlet pass was picked off and Wornig left out to dry on a 2-0 break. Disaster for the Kings defence.
- A better third, a very even start to the 3rd. It took a while till we got the eventual game winner and the Kings certainly had their chances. Anthony Brodeur made some good saves in the Vees net to keep the game tied up, but the Kings weren’t able to get any real extended setups on the offensive zone in the third period, like they had back in the first.
- The Vees score through Brodzinski to take the lead then add an empty netter for the 5-3 win. It’s the first loss in regulation for the Kings this season when leading by two at any point in a game. It’s the 2nd loss in regulation when leading through 20 and tied through 40.
- Now an 0-9 record for the Kings at the SOEC since the building opened in September 2008. Maybe chalk this one up with a couple of other “close but no cigars”.
- Faceoffs really the story of the game. The Kings were excellent on the dot in the first period, but wound up a -29 on the draws in the hockey game. If you’re chasing the puck from the outset, you will struggle to win the bulk of your games. That has to improve moving forward.
Here’s what Brock Sawyer had to say in the post game show
Three Stars of the Game
- Easton Brodzinski (Vees) – 2 goals
- Owen Sillinger (Vees) – 2 assists
- Jeremy LeClerc (Kings) – 1 assist
The Kings wrap their 3-in-3 road trip on Sunday in Trail against the Smoke Eaters. It’s a 3:00pm faceoff from Cominco Arena in Trail.
