It had all the makings of interesting weekend for Powell River Kings. Three games on Vancouver Island, one against Victoria and a doubleheader in Port Alberni, meant little for a Kings team already assured a playoff spot in BC Hockey League (BCHL) Island Division, but were vital for both of its opponents to secure the fourth and final playoff berth.
On Friday, Kings visited Victoria Grizzlies, who entered the weekend tied in fourth place with Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Grizzlies had the Kings number on the season, winning five out of the previous seven games, including all three at the Q Centre in Colwood.
Powell River came out the more inspired team, with Gavin Rauser scoring just 14 seconds in.
“That was the whole point of our line [with Austin Kamer and Hunter Findlater], getting out there to start and the goal just came off a good cycle we got going early,” said Rauser. “It’s important to get a good start in any game and to get that start in a building we haven’t had much success in was great.”
Victoria would counter on the next shift, but a pair of late-period goals from Kamer and Nick Halagian put the visitors up 3-1 after 20 minutes.
Victoria cut the lead early in the second period, but Jonny Evans answered immediately to stop any momentum for the home team. Kyle Betts added insurance late in the second and Kamer earned his first multi-goal game in the BCHL with a third-period marker. Goaltender Jeff Smith stopped 32 shots for his 25th win of the season.
With Powell River defeating Victoria, it opened the door for Alberni Valley to earn at least three of four points against the Kings and make the playoffs for the third straight year.
An inspired Bulldog side, backed by a ruckus home crowd, came ready to play on Saturday night. Three goals in the first period and another in the second opened up a 4-0 lead for the Bulldogs against a depleted Kings roster, which had four regulars out of the lineup. Halagian and Evans added third period goals but the Kings fell 6-2. Goaltender Stefan Wornig stopped 25 shots in the loss.
“Not the result you ever want, but in saying that, there was a lot of good things out there,” said Kings assistant coach Kyle Bodie. “Tonight was a night where every mistake we made wound up in the back of our net and we’d rather that happen now than a week from now in playoffs.”
On Sunday afternoon, Alberni needed at least a single point or a Victoria loss in Chilliwack to clinch a playoff spot. Powell River rested additional players and entered the game with 17 skaters and seven players in the stands.
Bulldogs opened the scoring in the first period and thought they had another, but a disallowed goal, due to contact on Wornig, kept the score 1-0 after the first period.
In the second period, with the Bulldogs on a power play, Kamer forechecked and forced an error out of the opposing goaltender for an unassisted, shorthanded tally to tie the game at one.
Bulldogs had another goal disallowed in the second period, this time due to the whistle being blown before the puck crossed the goal line.
The game reached 60 minutes with the crowd and Bulldog players celebrating at the sound of the final buzzer, having clinched a playoff berth.
Midway through the first overtime period, Bulldogs scored the game winner for a 2-1 win and weekend sweep over the Kings. Wornig kicked out a career-high 59 in the loss. Kings gave up a season-high 61 shots.
“[Wornig] was great, he saw the puck well all night and had a few big glove saves late to keep us in it,” said Kings assistant Brock Sawyer. “Sixty-one shots is a lot to give up and we need to be sharper in our defensive zone. We had a lot of new faces in the lineup tonight and, case in point, the overtime goal was us losing a guy up top and creating the opening.”
Kings now shift focus to BCHL playoffs and a first-round series against Duncan-based Cowichan Valley Capitals. The teams split the season series with four wins each; the home team won all eight games.
“It’s the best time of year now; you work so hard for 58 games beginning in August, but this is what you play for,” said Sawyer. “Those losses in Duncan were early in the season when we were still searching for our identity and we’ve come a long way and developed a lot since then. It’s going to be a good test, and we’ll be ready for a good series with them.”
Games one and two of the best-of-seven series take place at Hap Parker Arena on Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5; both games start at 7:15 pm.
The series shifts to Duncan for games three and four Monday, March 7, and Tuesday, March 8.
If necessary, game five is scheduled for Thursday, March 10, in Powell River, game six is set for Saturday, March 12, in Duncan and game seven, back in Powell River, would take place Sunday, March 13.
