After a disappointing effort on Tuesday at home, the Kings mini homestand continued when the Coquitlam Express made a visit to Powell River.
It was an entertaining goalie battle on Friday with Vincent Lamberti and Eric Young putting on a clinic in the first two periods as both teams were scoreless after 40 minutes. The Express broke the deadlock 2:50 into the third on a power play to jump in front and then added and insurance marker later in the period to seal a 2-0 win. Eric Young made 23 saves for Coquitlam while Vincent Lamberti played phenomenal stopping 35 shots.
After getting shut out the night before the Kings wasted no time getting on the scoreboard scoring 56 seconds into the game on Brendan Giles third of the season which was also his first goal at the Hap. The goal would be the only one in the period as the Kings took a one goal lead into the second.
The middle frame started the exact same way for the Kings scoring early. This time it came 16 seconds in when new King Conrado Calderini fed Thomas Belzil in front who the put the puck in the net for his fourth to extend the lead to two. The multi goal lead didn’t last long as the Express scored just 10 seconds later to make it 2-1. It didn’t take long for the Kings to get back up by two as Wyatt Davis scored his second at 2:54 regain the two goal advantage. The lead then turned to three at 4:55 when Joel Purdom made a great play to set up Marek Beaudoin who’s 5th of the season made it 4-1. Now the Express have been known to come back from multi goal deficits this season and Saturday was another example of that as they score three times in six minutes to even it up at four. After giving up the Kings looked like a different team than what we’ve seen recently not letting the lead slipping away phase them. Before the end of the period they would take the lead back at 17:20 on Jake Westhaver’s first BCHL goal to hold the 5-4 lead going into the third.
It was a tight knit third period with both teams trading chances. With under 4 minutes left the Express got themselves a 4 minute power play and would capitalize on it early to tie the game on the third goal of the night from Mason Kesselring. Still on the penalty kill after giving up the game tying goal the Kings managed to kill the remainder of the Express man advantage as this game headed to overtime.
It would be all Kings in OT, Axel Löfgren had the first good chance but hit the cross bar. Just over 2 minutes into the extra period Brendan Giles made a great play in the defensive zone to gain control of the puck. He led the rush down the ice, his shot would be deflected wide but Wyatt Davis got it behind the net and found Thomas Belzil at the top of the zone who wired the puck over Eric Young to give the Kings at thrilling 6-5 win in OT.
The victory was the 4th of the season as the Kings now have a 4-11-2-1 record. Next week the Kings have a big home & home against the Clippers who are one point up on the Kings in the standings. The first of the two games will be in Nanaimo on Friday night, then they will do battle once again Sunday afternoon at 1:30pm (Nov 17). Get your tickets online at tickets.powellriverkings.com
Massullo Motors Highlights – www.powellriverkings.com/highlights
