Weekend Recap is presented by Iris Optometry
The Kings returned from the All-Star break this past weekend as they headed into Nanaimo for a double header with the Clippers.
The Clippers would get themselves a flurry of chances early one but Liam Vanderkooi was solid early in the crease to keep the Clippers off the board. The Kings would be the team who striked first 4:23 when a Will Jones point shot was stopped, then the rebound was put in by Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero for his 7th of the season. Nanaimo would tie the game 2 minutes later when Kai Daniells scored on a power play at 6:58. The Kings would regain the lead later in the period when Will Jones threw the puck towards the net from the boards and it hit a Clipper in front and snuck into the net as Jones notched his 3rd of the season as the Kings held a 2-1 lead after the opening twenty.
At the start of the second the Kings had themselves a 4 on 3 power play and would make the most of it. 29 seconds into the period Will Jones would feed Noah Eyre who one timed his 6th on the season to extend the lead to 2 as Will Jones collected 3 points just over 20 minutes into the game.
The Kings would hold onto the 3 goal lead going into the third period. The Clippers would push hard to get themselves back in it, but with the help of a few posts and great goaltending from Liam Vanderkooi the Kings held them off the scoresheet. The Kings would add an insurance marker at 6:58 of the third when Adam Mendelson made a great pass to Noah Eyre who tapped home his second of the game as the Kings defeated the Clippers 4-1.
Liam Vanderkooi earned first star honours with a sensational 33 save performance, while Adam Mendelson added two assists as the Kings beat the Clippers for the second time this season with both of them being on the road.
The same teams would do battle again on Saturday, but the Kings would be shorthanded from the get go as Will Jones and Marcus Dashevsky were unable to play after being injured in the 3rd period on Friday. The Clippers would open the scoring 1:16 in after some miss communication inside the Kings when the puck came to Liam Vanderkooi and left it for his defenceman but was instead picked up by Jake Hewitt who then passed to Brody Waters who one timed it in. The Kings didn’t seem rattled by the early goal against as the would put many shots towards the Clippers goal but Shane Shelest stood tall early as the Kings were outshooting the Clippers 11-1 at one point but still trailed on the scoreboard. The home team would get another goal with 3 minutes to play in the period after Grant Babcock scored from the top of the crease as the Clippers took a 2-0 lead into the second despite being outshot 16-7.
The Kings would finally get rewarded for their strong play early in the second after Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero stole the puck from Ethan Mistry at the blue line and would then make a cross ice pass to Adam Mendelson who would then score his 3rd of the season to cut the deficit to one 41 seconds into the second. Mendelson would then tie the game at 6:48 after he tipped in a pass from Van Houtte-Cachero as the Kings started to get some momentum rolling. Midway through the period it would be 4 on 4 and after the Kings had an offensive opportunity the Clippers would get the puck and go the other way on a 2 on 1 and would score when off the rebound to take the lead back. Towards the end of the period there would be a couple hits inside the Kings zone with the last of them being dished out by Van Houtte-Cachero on Rylan Yates but it would a little too dangerous as Van Houtte-Cachero would be assessed a 5 minutes major and a game misconduct for a blow to the head. The Kings would find themselves on a long penalty kill which was off to a great start as they didn’t allow a shot for the first 2 minutes. However the Clippers would get one on the extended man advantage when Kai Daniells notched another power play marker to give the Clippers another two goal lead which they took into the third.
At the start of the third the Kings would manage to kill off the rest of the major power play but shortly after Jeremie Payant would extend the lead to three after a long wrist shot hit a King in front and deflected in. Ryder Ringor would score his 5th 11 minutes in to get the Kings back in it, as they would push hard to get another but Shane Shelest was up to the challenge stopping the rest of the shots that came his way. Charles Tardif would add an empty netter to seal a 6-3 win for Nanaimo.
Adam Mendelson finishes the weekend with 4 points while Eyre, Jones, and Van Houtte-Cacher each had 3.
After a relatively successful weekend the Kings sit with a record of 12-19-3-2 and remain 7th in the Coastal Conference and 9 points back of Victoria who sit in 6th. The Grizzlies will be the next opponent for the Kings as they continue their road swing next weekend. Kings will take on the Grizzlies for the 5th time this season Friday in Victoria at 7, then on Saturday the Kings will be in Duncan for a meeting with the Capitals at 7 as well. The next home game for the Kings is February 10 when they kick off a double head against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
Watch the Massullo Motors Weekend Highlights | www.powellriverkings.com/highlights
