It was a slim chance, a ray of hope, but it was what Powell River Kings were pushing toward this past weekend as the team hit the road for a double header against Nanaimo Clippers. A pair of wins would narrow the gap and keep the team’s first-place ambitions alive, however just one loss would hand Nanaimo their second consecutive BC Hockey League (BCHL) Island Division title.
On Friday, February 19, a slow and tense opening 10 minutes saw both teams get reacquainted after a month between games. The feeling-out process ended with a pair of Kings goals in quick succession, starting with Austin Kamer breaking the deadlock on a rebound from a Brandon Kennedy shot. Then, 32 seconds later, Nick Halagian rushed down the right wing and sniped home the 2-0 goal.
The second period generated more offence for the Kings with Nanaimo in the penalty box. On an early power play, Jonny Evans made it 3-0 and, late in the frame, Kyle Betts scored from in front to extend the lead even further.
Kings goaltender Jeff Smith did the rest, stopping 28 Nanaimo shots, including a few in highlight-reel fashion for his co-league-leading fifth shutout of the season and a 4-0 victory.
The clean sheet also gave Powell River the league lead in shutouts with seven, including two by Stefan Wornig, one ahead of Wenatchee and two more than Penticton.
“We had some slow boots getting started, but once we got moving, got the hits coming, it was a good night for us,” said forward Liam Lawson, who set up Betts’ goal in the second period. “The more you play a team, the more comfortable you get. We match up well against Nanaimo and if everyone wins their matchup we come out with a good result.”
Despite the lopsided win, Kings head coach Kent Lewis was left angry and frustrated with aspects of the officiating. Namely, what he saw as an under-assessed penalty that resulted in captain Jake Kohlhauser suffering a concussion.
“Garbage, a lot of it,” said Lewis. “We had guys getting tomahawk-slashed at the end of the game that four guys didn’t see. There was a boarding call that could have been a hit from behind, and it leads to a concussion and at least a week out of the lineup. The ruling from the league when we sent that in didn’t make sense to me at all.”
Saturday’s 6 pm start marked the eighth and final game between Powell River and Nanaimo this season, with the Kings having already secured a series win, but still needing points for first place in the division.
For the second straight night, the Kings opened up a 2-0 advantage with first-period goals from Lawson and Kennedy’s first in the BCHL. The teams traded goals in the second period with Halagian restoring the two-goal advantage after Nanaimo cut the lead.
Nanaimo shifted focus from physicality and undisciplined play to playing hockey in the third period. The team rallied for four unanswered goals, including an empty netter with 37 seconds remaining for a 5-3 win. The win sealed Nanaimo a second straight Island Division title.
Wornig took the loss, however both goaltenders were used. Wornig cramped in the third period and Smith was required to come in briefly while Wornig was tended to on the bench. Wornig did return, however he was replaced late in the period when Kings were looking to pull the goaltender, opting for the quicker Smith to rush to the bench.
“It comes down to team defence; it was 3-1 and we were getting our chances, but we started to take the foot off the gas and let them back into the game,” said Kings assistant Brock Sawyer. “Our defensive zone was soft and we didn’t get a job done in the third.”
The loss confirms Powell River will face Cowichan Valley in the first round of the BCHL playoffs, beginning March 4 at Hap Parker Arena. A full schedule has not been announced. The teams split the season series 4-4, with the home team winning all eight games.
“We played them there four times early in the season,” said Sawyer. “We were a young team, we were still growing as a group and we’ve come leaps and bounds this season. When we’ve gone in there, I’ve thought we deserved a better fate in a couple of games and we’ve been great at home, shutting them out a couple of times.”
Powell River wraps their regular-season schedule on the road this coming weekend, visiting Victoria on Friday, February 26, then a double header in Alberni Valley on Saturday, February 27, and Sunday, February 28.
