After a terrific tailgate party put on by Save-On-Foods, Kings got their 25th season underway with a 3-1 loss to the Grizzlies on Friday night.
After the introductions of the players and opening ceremonies concluded with Mayor Dave Formosa dropping the puck between captains Aidan Wright for the Kings and Mark McLellan of the Grizzlies, the game got underway.
Lots of hustle but very little in the way of chances or goals as the shot totals for both teams in the first period was in single digits.
The Grizzlies got a big break, however, when Myles Fitzgerald threw a puck towards the net from the goal line and it went off netminder Jonah Imoo and into the net at 18:56.
After his assist on Fitzgerald's goal, Schwartz picked up a goal at 6:28 to put the Griz up 2-0 but the Kings bounced back right away.
At 6:42 rookie Truman Gonzales converted a nice set-up from Lucas Grayson and Luke Nogard by depositing a back-door pass to finally beat Nic Renyard.
Myles Fitzgerald got his second goal of the evening with help from his brothers when they capitalized on some undiscplined play from the Kings.
The powerplay goal at 18:12 was all the Grizzlies needed as they went on to stymie the Kings offense in the third period and win the game 3-1.
Finals shots in the game were 30-26 for the Grizzlies and they went 1 for 6 on the powerplay while the Kings were shutout in five tries.
The two teams go at it again at 5:00 P.M. on Saturday.
Armitage Mens Wear Three Stars:
1. Jesse Schwartz
2. Nic Renyard
3. Truman Gonzales
