Eight different goal scorers contributed offensively, while the Kings continued to frustrate and largely shut down a high powered Clipper offence en route to an 8-4 win on Sunday afternoon.
- What a weekend. We still have 3 more games during the regular season plus a potential 2nd round match-up in the playoffs for the 2nd straight year. It might be bias considering the results, but that was a fantastic weekend and two very very entertaining games.
- Heading into the game, there was a big question on what would transfer over from Saturday’s classic. In many cases with the double header format, when you get a wild one in game 1, it often ends up being pretty tame…not this one. A lot of things carried over into game 2 and from the outset we got some hard hits, lots of post whistle stuff, a couple of fights and a tonne of emotion. Even that 1st period, for the Kings to fall down 0-2 inside the first 3 minutes against one of the highest scoring teams in the league, there must have been some sunken shoulders on the bench, but true to form this weekend, anything could happen.
- Quick goals are always back breakers, and for the Kings they got a quick pair twice on Sunday. Austin Kamer gets a messy and gritty one shorthanded then Carter Turnbull lifts another gear to put the Kings back on level terms. From there, you always felt the Kings were good and were in control of the game. Given the way that Saturday went, you got the sense that the longer the Kings and Clippers remained close on the scoreboard the more the mind games and game within a game from Saturday would creep into the contest.
- For evidence on the above point, there were 4 penalties called before Curtis McCarrick gave the Kings a 3-2 lead in the 1st period…three were to the Kings. After the goal, 6 penalties were called in the 1st period, 5 to Nanaimo.
- In the 2nd period and an early Sheldon Rempal goal was again cancelled out by the bang bang goals above, this time 49 seconds apart. For me, this was the nail in the coffin and goes back to my earlier point about back breakers. Then 2 minutes later Tristan Mullin adds a shorthanded goal on a blue line turnover and it’s over.
- What struck me from this game over the previous was the benches at the end. By the end of the game the Clippers big three had all gotten themselves ejected. Hoover after a weekend full of frustration, Devin Brosseau after reaching his breaking point and Sheldon Rempal with just under 4 minutes remaining.
- On that topic, a masterful job through the weekend by the Kings to contain, irritate and ultimately topple three extremely talented players who have proven success at this level. From shift one of Saturday night, led by Austin Kamer, Mitchell Hawes, Nick Halagian, Nick Nonis and Andy Stevens played the trio hard. Sheldon Rempal broke out for a pair, including a beauty in the 1st, but that was the lone joy the three had all weekend.
- To be fair, what went wrong for the Kings? It’s a short list given the pair of wins, but the Clippers were better on the faceoffs, particularly Satruday. Jonny Evans had a tough Saturday and didn’t take too many Sunday. Kyle Betts rebounded after a 35% performance Saturday with a 62% effort Sunday. Hunter Findlater struggled statistically, but that line did a lot of good things.
Here’s what Kent Lewis had to say in the post game show
Three Stars of the Game
- Nick Halagian (Kings) – 1 goal
- Tristan Mullin (Kings) – 1 goal, 1 assist
- Carter Turnbull (Kings) – 1 goal, 1 assist
With the sweep of the Nanaimo Clippers, the Kings have positioned themselves well in the Island Division. The Kings are currently 5-back of the Clippers with a pair of games in hand, and they’ll get a 3rd on Wednesday when Nanaimo plays Alberni. Cowichan were idle on Sunday and the Kings burned their game in hand but now sit 3 points up.
The Kings move their streak to 4 games and are unbeaten since the Christmas break. The team hits the road for 6-straight, made up of back to back 3-game weekends, that begins Friday night in Victoria against the Grizzlies. Saturday the Kings visit Nanaimo, Sunday the Kings in Alberni.
