The Powell River Kings (34-18-1-0) rebounded nicely after a tough loss to the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Saturday with a dominant 5-0 win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (16-25-7-2).
Josh Bruce opened the scoring with first goal as a member of the Kings when he took a centring feed from Josh Coblenz down the right wing.
Nearly 10 minutes later Jonny Evans threw a puck on goal from the right-wing circle off the rush. Jack Long was heading to the goal and the puck took a change in direction and snuck under the glove hand of Brody Claeys to make it 2-0.
In the second period the Kings speed came to the forefront. Hunter Findlater got his seventh of the year after he flew down the right wing and fired a perfectly-placed wrist shot off the far post and in to make it 3-0. The goal ended Claeys’ night as he gave up three goals on 14 shots.
Four and a half minutes later Kyle Betts scored his 21st of the year when Tristan Mullin came flying down the right wing and centred the puck for Betts.
On an odd-man rush, Cam Donaldson came down the right wing before cutting to the middle. He then fed the puck left side for Evans who fired home his second of the game to make it 5-0 after two.
Early in the third the Kings offence continued to strike. Mullin cleaned up some loose change in the crease after he, Betts and Carter Turnbull were all trying to knock the puck in.
Off the ensuing face-off, Evans carried the puck down the left wing and fired the puck right into the top corner over the blocker of Carson Schammerhorn, eight seconds after Mullin’s goal.
Donaldson scored his first goal in six games when he found himself alone in front of the Alberni bench, faked going to his backhand before pulling the puck back to his forehand and sliding it past Schammerhorn to make it 8-0.
The rough stuff began late in the third period. It all began when Findlater got an elbow in the face from Trevor Cosgrove in the far corner of the Alberni end. Findlater took matters into his own hands and dropped the gloves to go after Cosgrove.
Bruce and Darren Rizzolo also dropped the gloves below the goal line and the Kings would end up with the power play after the minor blow to the head call to Cosgrove, though all four players were tossed from the game.
On the power play it took the Kings just 20 seconds to capitalize. Liam Lawson was parked in front of the net, and a shot from the blue line by Long hit Lawson before hitting the ice in front of the net. Lawson spun and fired into an open goal for his 11th of the year.
Ian Ross threw a huge hit in front of his own bench on Jake Wilhelm. Tristan Bukovec came in to defend his teammate, but never dropped his gloves while Ross was throwing punches.
In the Kings end, Keith Anderson knocked down Brian Wilson as he came out to play the puck while the scrum was happening in front of the Kings bench, resulting in coincidental minors.
The clock finally hit zero as Wilson picked up his third shutout of the season. The Kings now hold a 6-1 record against Alberni this seas
