Kevin Obssuth broke a 10-game goal scoring slump by notching his 17th and 18th goals of the season, helping the Kings to their fourth straight win on home ice by a 4-1 score over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Monday afternoon.
A great crowd filed into the Hap for a free Family Day game put on by the Kings with the support of several amazing sponsors. An even contest to start but the longer the first period went on the more the Kings controlled. The Kings opened the scoring midway through the period through Kevin Obssuth’s 17th of the year as Gavin Rauser found Obssuth in the slot where he went bar down to give the Kings a 1-0 advantage. Alberni would tie the game up 1:22 later through Tyler Vanuden’s 8th of the year and a 1-1 score through 20. Shots 20-10 for the Kings.
Into the 2nd and the Kings retook the lead midway through via Kevin Obssuth who backchecked through neutral ice and picked the pocket of a Bulldog forward, turned and skated back down the wing then cut in on goal and scored on a backhand for a 2-1 lead. That lead was consolidated 6 minutes later with Andy Stevens skating through the Bulldog zone and dishing off to Gavin Rauser at the side of the goal for the captain’s 11th of the year and a 3-1 advantage. Shots 16-13 Powell River in the period, 36-23 through two.
The third period saw the Kings on full lock down mode, limiting the Bulldogs to just 3 shots on goal as the Kings got an empty netter at 19:58 from Jonny Evans, his 18th, and a 4-1 win. Affiliate Derek Krall, up from the Nanaimo Buccaneers stopped 25 shots for his 1st BCHL win in his first start and the Kings win their 4th in a row.
Here’s our Facebook Live Postgame Show with 3rd star Derek Krall and Brock Sawyer:
Three Stars of the Game
1. Kevin Obssuth (Kings) – 2 goals
2. Andy Stevens (Kings) – 1 assist
3. Derek Krall (Kings) – 25 saves, 1st BCHL win
The Kings wrap their seven game home stand, and the home portion of the 2017/2018 regular season with a pair of games this coming weekend. The team hosts Vernon on Friday night at 7:15pm, then Chilliwack on Sunday afternoon at 1:30pm.
