After being shutout in the Kings return home on Friday night the Kings looked to give the home fans plenty to cheer about Saturday with another matchup vs the Chilliwack Chiefs.
The boys would get off to one of the best starts they’ve had all season in the first period but it was the Chiefs who took control in the first 20 minutes. It started off with some bad luck as on the penalty kill as Hunter Andrew tried to make a clearing attempt from below the goal line but it hit teammate Olivier Lepine and redirected in the back of the net past Brice for an own goal. The Kings wouldn’t let that bother them as they kept on pushing but struggled to get a shot on net in the early going. On the Kings second power play of the game they would turn it over at the blue line and allowed Kienan Draper and Connor Millburn go on a 2 on 1 as Draper passed to Millburn who took the shot. Brice was able to stop most of it but it still wasn’t enough as it snuck in. The Chiefs would go on to add one more in the period 4 on 4 as Anaheim Ducks draft pick Ethan Bowen went for the wrap around, Zak Brice was able to dive across the crease and make the save but Connor Millburn was in the right spot to poke in the loose puck for his 2nd of the night. For the second night in a row the Kings would trail 3-0 after the opening frame at home.
The second period was a much different story as just 52 seconds into the middle frame on the power play Anthony Lucarelli won the faceoff and it came to Caleb Parkhouse who snapped it past Chiefs goalie Cole Savage to get the Kings on the scoreboard. Just 49 seconds later it would be another scramble in front of savage and Nolan Krogfoss pounced on the loose puck and put it in for his 1st of the season and get the Kings back within one. It would be back and forth the rest of the period with Zak Brice stopping Chiefs speedster Cam Johnson on a Breakaway to keep it a one goal game going into the third.
The third period started as another closely contested affair. The Chiefs got into some penalty trouble and the Kings looked to make them pay and they did. at 13:39 on the power play Dylan Finlay would hammer the point shot on goal, Savage would make the pad save but left the rebound and all by himself in front of the net was Mark D’agostino who got the loose puck and tucked it in by Savage to tie the game at 3 a piece. The game would comedown to the final minutes as with 1:05 left Ethan Bowen appeared to score the game winner on a wrap around but the officials would have a lengthy discussion and wave it off due to goalie interference. The disallowed goal gave the Kings life. With less than 30 seconds to got the Chiefs would have a mishap in their own end and Nolan Krogfoss picked up the loose puck came down to the right faceoff circle and fired it on net and it beat Savage over the shoulder who couldn’t believe the puck got passed him. The goal with 20 seconds left got the 700 plus at the Hap to blow the roof off the arena, something they haven’t been able to do in the first 3 games of the season.
The Kings would pick up their first win at home since March 2020 and get their 4th W on the season, pushing their record to 4-6-1 for the season. Nolan Krogfoss would be named first star and Catalyst Player of the game for the Kings while Zak Brice made 22 saves for his 4th win on the season.
The Kings will look to keep the momentum rolling at home this upcoming weekend with another Friday/Saturday double header, this time it’s against the Cowichan Valley Capitals. Both games are at 7pm.
