Saturday, January 29, 2011

Did That Really Happen?

Boxscore

The Kings squandered two two-goal leads, rallied from two goals down in the final 1:21 of the third period and won in double overtime 7-6.

Just as planned......


The start of the first period couldn't of gone better for the Kings. Powell River showed good jump off the opening face off and had good pressure in the Capitals zone. The Kings would be open the scoring when Dan Schuler beat starting goaltender Derek Dunn high on the glove side from the top of the right circle. Six minutes in and the Kings were on on the board.  Not even a minute and a half later they would add to it.

While Justin Bardarson was off for hooking, Cohen Adair scored on a nice individual effort from a rush on the left wing that started from the neutral zone. Adair found a loose puck off an errant pass and drove hard to the goal and finished the play off with a nice back hand, fore hand deke on Dunn to give Powell River a two goal cushion. The Schuler and Adair markers came just 1:27 a part.

Whoever coined the term about the two goal lead being the most dangerous in hockey, most of been watching this game. The Kings seemed to let up towards the end of the first period and Cowichan, seemed to realize this and converted on goals 53 seconds apart evening the game at two.

First, it was Jordan Grant scoring his 31st of the season from Matt Cassidy on a nice feed from the corner. Cassidy drew the Kings defenders towards him at the left goal line, which gave ample room for the trailer, Grant to fire a wrist shot from the right circle past the blocker of Sean Maguire.  Then Justin DaSilva to a hooking call on the next shift, giving the Capitals a power-play and an opportunity the would not squander.

On the power-play Cassidy would tip in a pass at the far post on a feed from Grant who was streaking down the right wing. Matt Ridley, who would later factor in the scoring, started the play with a nice rink wide pass from his own blue line. The Capitals silenced the crowd of 1037 with the equalizer.

1st Period Notes:
  • Caps' defenseman Devin Dambrauskas was given a game misconduct early in the first on a check from behind.
  • The Kings out shot the Capitals 17-9
  • Capitals were 1-2 on the power-play; Kings 0-1
In the second period, Chad Niddery would help restore the two goal lead for the Kings. His first goal, just 30 seconds into the period was a seeing eye shot. Niddery would take a pass from the left wall and spin at the left point and let a wrist shot go that found the back of the net. Dunn looked to be screened on the play by his own defenseman in Troy Paterson. Niddery's second and 21st of the season was a deflection on a Jon Jutzi point shot. That goal would chase Dunn from his goal as he was replaced by Chase Martin.

However just like in the first period, the Kings saw their two goal lead evaporate. Matt Ridley cut the deficit to one on his first of two in the period. On a extended cycle in the Kings zone, Ridley found a loose puck on the side wall and threw a puck on net that went short side and in on Maguire. That goal seemed to spin the momentum back in favour of Cowichan. Just under three minutes later Adam Smith would get his first BCHL goal on a bizarre play in front of the Kings net. Steven Saretsky would have his wrist shot double deflected, the last touch off Smith's stick, and trickle by Maguire to tie the game at four's. The Capitals weren't done there, as they would get one more before the period ended.

Ridley would strike once more, this time in a more conventional manner. Ridley, with his team on the power-play, would blast a right point shot off the glove of Maguire and in the net.  The Capitals would end the second period holding the lead for the first time in the game.

2nd Period Highlights:
  •  Like Dambrauskas in the first, Steven Schmidt was given a game misconduct on a check from behind in the second period.
  • The Kings out shot the Capitals 15-10
  • Powell River's penalty-kill was victimized once more, on Ridley's second goal. The Caps were 2-4 at that point
  • Sean Maguire allowed five goals on 19 shots and would be replaced by Mike Garteig to start the third.
  • Cowichan scored three consecutive goals to close the period.

The momentum continued for Cowichan in the early stages of the third period. Matt Cassidy would get his second goal of the game, just over six minutes into the frame. Cassidy, facing two defenders would drive hard from the left wing and force a puck past Garteig on the left post. The play looked like goaltender interference, however the goal stood and the Capitals scored their fourth straight and were up 6-4.

Not much was going the Kings way for the next 12 minutes of the hockey game. They did start to play with more urgency down by two goals but Chase Martin was holding the Kings at bay. Powell River did start to play within themselves once more, which brought them success early in the first period. With the game winding down, the Kings forced the issue which set up a wild finish.

With Garteig gone to the bench for an extra skater, Mike Sones was the last King to push the puck across the goal line after a rugby scrum in front of Martin. That would make it a one goal game with just 1:57 left in the third period. Controversy struck before that play, as the Kings thought they tied the game on a scramble in the crease. The referee however deemed the net came off its mooring's before DaSilva put it across the goal line. Moot point, the Kings now needed one more.

Powell River would find the equalizer, with the net empty once more. On  face off in the Capitals zone, with 36 seconds left, Matt Garbowsky would bang home a Niddery rebound off the pad of Martin and in the net for to tie the game at six. The Arena went nuts and the Kings some how managed to force overtime.

Third Period Highlights:
  • Kings out shot the Capitals 17-6
  • Mike Garteig stopped 5 of six shots in relief of Sean Maguire
  • Kings forced overtime with two goals in 1:21


The two teams would skate to a scoreless 4 on 4 overtime session. Powell River out shot Cowichan 4-2 in the first overtime. Then in finals minutes of double overtime, this happened.

Listen Here

Game Review:
  • 88 total shots were fired on all four goaltenders. The Kings out shot the Capitals 57-31
  • The Kings tied two season highs. They matched their out put for total goals in a game at seven. The last time they scored seven was against Quesnel in October in a 7-3 win at home. Also it was only the second time the Kings surrendered six goals. Surrey is the only other team to score six goals on the Kings.
  • Four players scored two goals, two on each side.
> Matt Garbowsky and Chad Niddery each finished with two goals and two assists.
> Matt Ridley had two goals and one assist and Matt Cassidy had two goals and two assists.
  • six players had multiple point nights. Cohen Adair (1+2=3), Matt Garbowsky (2+2=4) and Chad Niddery (2+2=4) for Powell River.  Matt Ridley (2+1=3) Matt Cassidy (2+2=4) and Jordan Grant (1+2=3) for Cowichan Valley.

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