Dante De Caria | Alicia Baas
Powell River, BC – Jack Long played in his 200th game, and the Powell River Kings (13-14) swept the double-header with a 5-3 win over the Victoria Grizzlies (8-21) on Saturday night at the Hap Parker Arena.
685 fans piled into the Hap Parker Arena to see Kings captain Jack Long play in his 200th game. He became the eighth player in franchise history to reach the 200 game plateau – joining Curtis McCarrick (205), Chad Niddery (212), Randall Smisko (215), Hunter Findlater (217), Reid Campbell (222), Heath Dennison (225) and Mike Wakita (232).
“I’m pretty proud of myself,” said Kings captain Jack Long. “It took a lot of work. Some guys do it in four years, and I was able to do it in five years because of some injuries so I’m happy I was able to make it.”
The Kings take both games against the Grizzlies, winning 5-2 on Friday followed by their 5-3 win on Saturday. That improves the Kings to 5-3 in the month of November, and just one game under .500.
The Kings four unanswered goals in the second period lifted them to their ninth win at home this season. After it was tied 1-1 after one, Ethan Schmunk took a back-door pass from Nolan Krogfoss, and poked it in for his fifth of the season, and a 2-1 Kings lead early in the frame. Brett Pfoh and Brett Roloson would score their first goals in a Kings uniform, while McCoy made it 5-1 Kings with his eighth late in the second.
“I think we knew that we needed to come out (in the second) and move our feet because we can out skate a lot of teams in this league,” added Long. “We worked hard, threw pucks to the net and they resulted in goals.”
The Kings scored a season-high tying four goals in the second, and fired a period-high 19 shots on net. Powell River now take’s a 4-1 season series lead over the Victoria Grizzlies with four more meetings scheduled after Christmas.
McCoy extended his point-streak to five games (3G/2A) and Roloson extended his point-streak to six games (4G/5A) with both scoring their eighth goals this season. Nolan Krogfoss was named the second star after he tallied two assists, and Reilly Moran received the first start after he scored his 11th to open the scoring in the first.
Rookie goaltender Thomas Wardle made 26-saves on 29-shots, picking up his first win in a Kings uniform. Grizzlies 18-year-old goaltender Joe Howe allowed five goals on 37 shots.
The Powell River Kings begin a three game road trip this Thursday against Chilliwack. The Kings are back at home Friday, December 6th, 2019 against the Surrey Eagles at 7:00 p.m., for the Kings annual Teddy Bear Toss.
