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After both teams split games 1 & 2 in Surrey the series shifted to Powell River where the Kings would play their first home playoff game since 2020.
It was a rocking atmosphere at the Hap, but the Eagles quickly hushed the crowd with a goal 1:05 in from former Kings Jacob Bonkowski which would be his second of the series. Surrey would make it a two goal lead at 8:53 after Ryden Evers knocked the puck away from Will Jones in the neutral zone and would fire a long wrist shot on goal which got passed the glove of Kyle Metson. Shots were 10 aside as the Kings trailed by two after the first.
In the second the Kings wasted no time to get on the scoreboard. First Jack Blanchett would score on a power play 44 seconds in the period with a wrist shot from the right circle for his second of the series. Then just 18 seconds later a Sam Belanger shot would hit Sochan in the net, bounce of the glass behind, bounce of the top of the net, and land in front of the crease where Anthony Lucarelli pounced on it to even the score 1:02 into the second. With the crowd back in the game, the Kings kept on pressing but Michael Sochan stood tall in his net. The Eagles would regain the lead at 11:35 on a rush that Zach Wagnon would finish off with a move to the backhand in tight to make it 3-2 which would be the score heading into the third.
The Kings would control the brunt of the play in the third but the Eagles locked things down defensively and game nothing for the Kings to shoot at. They would block numerous amounts of shots and limited the Kings to just 10 shots as the Eagles would hang on to win 3-2 and take a 2-1 series lead.
Michael Sochan would stop 34 shots in the win while Kyle Metson had another solid performance making 30 saves.
Game 4 would take place the following night as the Kings looked to rebound and even the series and guarantee at least one more game at the Hap in the postseason. However, just like game 3 the Eagles would score early to silence the crowd. The goal would come 1:36 in on a good passing play the ended with Eagles captain Jake Bongo shooting the puck into the open net for his first of the series. Unlike the game before, the Kings would manage to tie the game up at 12:16 on a great individual effort from Noah Eyre who got the puck at center ice, carried over the blueline, and went between the Eagles defensemen to get a shot off that went post and in for his first of the playoffs. It was a big goal that got the crowd buzzing again, but the tie didn’t last long as the Eagles would retake the lead shortly later on a power play, when Tate Taylor’s one time from the point deflected off Caleb Bentham and in to make it 2-1 as the Eagles took another lead heading into the intermission.
Both teams would be eager to add to their score in the second but both goalies did there jobs and kept the puck out of the net. The game would ultimately shift late in the period when Ryder Ringor went in on a breakaway and was stopped by Sochan, but afterwards there would be a scrum, which would lead to the Eagles going on the power play. The Eagles would get set up and eventually they had Metson scrambling without his stick. Metson would try to get back into position but would inadvertently make contact with Caleb Bentham, and at that moment Jake Bongo would shoot from the near half wall. Kyle Metson dove to get a piece of the puck but it wasn’t enough as the Eagles made it 3-1, and from that point on it seemed like the Eagles where in full control.
In the third Surrey would waste no time add to their lead as Zach Wagnon would add another goal 36 seconds in to make it 4-1. Now desperate the Kings would try to shrink the deficit, but like in game 3 the Eagles gave the Kings no looks offensively and bought into the shot blocking game, getting in front of countless amount of shots as they held the Kings to 5 in the period. Unable to generate any offensive, frustration would start to show for the Kings as they new they were one game away from elimination as the Eagles won 4-1 to take a 3-1 series lead.
So now it’s do or die for the Kings on Thursday as they head back to Surrey for game 5 with their season on the line. Puck drop is at 7pm. If the Kings manage to pull out the victory, game 6 will be back at the Hap on Saturday, which will be another 7pm start.
Massullo Motors Highlights | www.powellriverkings.com\highlights
Postgame Interviews with Harry Mahesh | www.powellriverkings.com/postgame-interviews
