ROAD WARRIORS

You had to be at Royal LePage Place to fully understand how this one played out. Matt Garbowsky scored two goals and Steven Schmidt got credit for the most bizarre goal you will ever see in a 3-2 win.

 Let's dissect this one.

Westside came out very strong to start the hockey game, practically hitting everything that moved in the Kings end. As Jon Juzti told me after the game, "I've never seen a team hit so much". Westside used an aggresive forecheck to generate chance early on in the Kings zone. Credit Powell River for getting themselves in front of the Warriors attempts on goal. The stat sheet read 7-3 shots on goal in favour of the Kings but it felt much different.

Powell River started to pick their game up late into the first period when Matt Garbowsky used a unique bounce off the end wall to score his first of two on the night. Justin DaSilva shot wide off the end wall and the puck bounced back to Garbowsky on the opposite of net and one-timed the puck past Cole Holowenko. We would see the same goal scored two periods later.

The Kings road that goal into the first intermission for a lead over Westside who deserved a better fate. The second would start just as the first.

Westside again came out with vigor to start the second and were rewarded for their hard work with an early one. Brett McKinnon was gift wrapped a goal less then three minutes in when a clearing attempt from behind the net found the stick of McKinnon right out front. Tie game.

The Warriors road that momentum to another goal, another strange one too. Tom Kroshus floated a fourty footer past a screened Mike Garteig with less then four minutes left in the second to give his team a one goal lead. The Warriors would take the lead to the dressing room and deservingly so.

However the second period would be overshadowed by one play. Chad Niddery took a blow to the head at the 18:09 mark from Peter MacIntosh in the Warriors zone on the side wall. Niddery was in a prone position as he was bent over digging for a puck with his back turned to MacIntosh, who came from over the back of Niddery to deliver a forearm to his head. The follow through would have Niddery rattle his head of the glass. Tough to say if indeed it is worthy of a suspension but a five minute major could of been just.


The third period was a push back by the Kings as they found their game once again and were rewarded withg an equalizer on the most bizare play. Mike King went behind his net to retrieve a loose puck and then turned to go up ice. However it wasn't that easy. King had the puck go off his stick and hit the back skate of Holowenko and in the net. That was the turning point of the game.

Matt Garbowsky would score the game winning goal and his second of the night on a indenticial play from his first goal. Justin DaSilva  intentionally shot wide from the left point and the puck found Garbowsky on the far post for a tap in. Credit the Kings using their game day skate to figure out the lively end boards in Westside.

Mike Garteig was strong down to the end and held off a Warrior attempt in the final five minutes including a power-play.

The Kings won their 14th road game of the season and will look for number 15 tomorrow night.