Eagles frustrate Kings in game 5 win

• The Surrey Eagles hung around just long enough Thursday night and were rewarded in the third period. Hayden Trupp and Richard Vanderhoek broke a 1-1 tie mid way through the period to force a game six in Surrey.
• Powell River was all over the Eagles in the first half of the third but couldn't find a way to put a puck past Karel St. Laurent. Say what you want at his unique style but it's getting the job done. St. Laurent was solid if not great in the late going turning away the Kings comeback attempt. St. Laurent seemed to be hampered by a cramp in the third but it didn't stop him at keeping Powell River off the score board in the final period. St. Laurent was the first star and rightly so as he stopped 44 of 45 shots.
• The Eagles won without top scorer Bradley McGowan. McGowan was injured back in the third period of game four when he collided with Dan Schuler. Jeff Vanderlugt was terrific in sliding over to the middle in the absence of McGowan.
• The Kings started off on the right foot but couldn't finish it off in the third. It's been the same story for the Kings. Great first periods, out scoring their opposition 13-2 but no being able to build on that in the late going.
• This game was very similar to the game two overtime loss. The Eagles were out played in long stretches of that game, yet hung on and forced OT and converted on the chance the Kings gave them. Tonight was no different as the Eagles held the Kings attack at bay before converting on two chances in the third. The goals came off King turn overs or mistakes, the Eagles were very oppurtunistic in the third.
• Where has the Kings offense gone this post season? Tonight they threw 45 shots on net yet have only a first period bomb from Dalrymple to show for it. In the last two games the Kings have 119 shots yet only three goals.
• Why did the Kings stop hitting after the first period. Powell River did a effective job at using the body and keeping Surrey out of their zone. The Eagles were frustrated and looked tired yet were given an easy pass in the second and third. 
• It seems to be between the ears with this team. When mentally focused this team looks like world beaters but tonight something didnt look quite right.

PREVIEW GAME 5: Eagles vs. Kings

SERIES: Steven Schmidt scored his first goal of the post season 4:52 in to the third overtime to give the Kings a 2-1 game four win. That was the first goal since 17:45 of the first period. Both teams combined for 127 shots in six periods. Mike Garteig stopped 62 of 63 shots in the win. Karel St Laurent also made 62 saves on 64 shots.

The Kings can clinch their their 3rd consecutive Cliff McNabb trophy with a win at home in game five tonight.

TEAM SCOPE

Kings- Powell River carried their regular season success in Surrey to the playoffs with two one goal victories in games three and four. The latter was a tight affair as both teams knew what was at stake in game four, dubbed as a swing game and it came down to the last shot.

Game four would of turned the series in two opposite directions. If the Eagles won game 4 the series would of been split, making for a very interesting best of three scenario in games five through seven. Emphasizing how tight the series has been, with the exception of game one, every game has been decided by a single goal.

However the Kings gave themselves some breathing room and now an opportunity to end a series in five games and on home ice. The power-play was a contributing factor in both games for Powell River.

In the first two games of the series the power-play was a thorn in the Kings side. Powell River was a combined 0-10 in games one and two. However, the man advantage turned around scoring two goals in game three and one more in game four. In both those games combined the Kings went 3-9 on the power-play.

Tonight comes down to seizing a chance to put away an opponent on your first chance and not giving Surrey any momentum to come back in the series.

Eagles- The Eagles for the first time in the playoffs are facing elimination. Surrey swept through Coquitlam in round one and only trailed one game to none to Langley in round two.

Surrey can very well argue they could be in Powell River's position in game five. The Eagles have lost all four games by one goal, considering game one was sealed with an empty net and Surrey has only been out scored 10-7. Every game has been close and the Eagles simply haven't found a way to break through yet.

A few observers have said the Eagles have ran into injuries and have been using a smaller then usual line-up that maybe is starting to catch up with them. I don't read into that too much as the Eagles have given the Kings everything they can handle and more. Yes their top players have been playing quite a bit but so too have the Kings.

The Eagles offense has dried up in this series and that in turns lies the problem. Coming into the conference finals the Eagles scored 43 goals in their previous 10 games. The Eagles were averaging just over four goals a game through two rounds. In this series against Powell River, Surrey has scored only seven goals in four games and that's an average of 1.75 goals a game. The top players on the Eagles will need to find a way to get more rubber past Mike Garteig.

WHO'S HOT- Chad Niddery now has goals in back to back games for the Kings and eight in the playoffs. Craig Dalrymple has three assists in two games. Steven Schmidt sure picked a good time to score his first in the post season.

Richard Vanderhoek was kept off the score sheet for the first time in the series in game four. Bradley McGowan was pointless as well and has been held pointless in two straight games.

STAT PACK- The Kings dating back to the regular season won four out of five games in Surrey. Their only blemish was a 1-1 tie in November.

PUCK DROP: Pre-game show at 6:45pm and play-by-play at 7pm on Sun FM

SCHMIDT OT WINNER-GAME 4

GAME 4 PREVIEW: Kings vs. Eagles

SERIES: The Kings took back home ice advantage last night with a 3-2 win in game three. Mike Garteig made 37 saves including 24 in the third period alone to preserve the win. The Kings out shot the Eagles
28-13 after two periods and lead 3-0. However the Kings were caught on their heels in the third when Surrey scored twice and were out shot 26-6.

TEAM SCOPE

Kings- The team will need to find a way to execute for a full sixty minutes tonight in game four. It's been a reoccurring problem this post season for Powell River. At times this team can look dominant and almost unbeatable and at other times look nervous and up tight. The Kings have been caught playing not to lose rather just going out to and playing how they have in the regular season.

There were plenty of positives to take out of game three including a noticeable turn around on the power-play. The Kings scored on their first power-play when a Craig Dalrymple point shot deflected off Chadd Niddery. In the second the Kings increased their lead to two when Jon Jutzi put a howitzer past Karel St. Laurent's glove. At one point mid way through the game the Kings were two for three with the man advantage and finished two for five on the power-play. More of the same will be needed tonight.

The team looked rock solid defensively going into the third period. The Eagles were continually turned back as the Kings gave them nothing up the middle in the first two periods. However as mentioned, the team was caught on their heels in the third. The forwards were giving too much time and space to Eagle forwards coming across the blue line and that resulted in the Kings running around in their own  zone. The fore check and neutral zone pressure needs to be sustained for an entire game tonight.


Eagles- Matt Erhart's club inconsistent in game 3. The Eagles took forty minutes before life was breathed back into their game. Early on Surrey was guilty of one too many turn overs at or near their own blue line. Credit the Kings fore check for being aggresive and causing problems for the Eagles defense. Surrey will be treating this game as a must win, as they don't want to be headed back to Powell River down 3-1 in the Conference Finals.

For whatever reason home ice hasn't been so friendly for Surrey in the playoffs. In six games at the South Surrey Arena the Eagles are only 3-3. You have to go back to game two against Langley in round two for their last win at the SSA.

Tonight will be all about the start and compete level for the Eagles. They have plenty on the line tonight and will need to leave it all on the ice to even the series.

WHO'S HOT: After having a quiet round two against Victoria, Matt Garbowsky is starting to come around. Garbowsky had two assists last night and now has three points in his last two games. Chad Niddery continues to score goals in the playoffs. Known more for his play making ability, Niddery picked up his seventh goal of the post season last night. Jon Jutzi is developing into the Kings go to point man on the power-play. Jutzi now has four power-play goals and is one goal shy of regular season total of six.

Richard Vanderhoek continues to put up points in this series. Vanderhoek scored his 11th goal last night and now has four points in three games against the Kings. Brad McGowan's apple in game three gives him points in back to back games and so too for Tyler Morley.

STAT PACK: Last night's third period shot total was the highest for any opposition this season against the Kings. Powell River rarely gave up over 25 shots in a game let alone in one period.

PUCK DROP: Pre-game show gets going at 6:45pm with puck drop scheduled for 7:03pm

NUMBERS GAME

• 40- Amount of minutes the Kings played well and executed their game plan against Surrey.
• 13- Number of shots Surrey was held to in the first two periods.
• 26- Shots the Eagles had in the third period alone.
• 20- Shot differental between Surrey and Powell River in the third p5eriod.
• 5- Time in seconds it took Bond Hawryluk to score the game winning goal when stepping on the ice for a shift.
• 40- percentage of the power-play tonight against the Eagles. The Kings finishd 2-5 on the man advantage
• 75- Amount of shots Karel St. Laurent has faced in the last two games.
• 6- Players who had at least a point tonight for Powell River.
• 2- Number of players who had two point night's for the Kings
• 4-Power-play goals scored by Jon Jutzi in the playoffs.
• 3-wins in Surrey for Powell River dating back to the regular season.
• 12-time in minutes the Kings took in penalties against the Ealges
• 1354- The number of fans at South Surrey Arena. Great crowd.
• 3-2-Final score in game three in favour of the Kings
• 2-1-Series lead for Powell River after the win

GAME 3 PREVIEW: Kings vs. Eagles

SERIES: The Eagles bounced back from a game one defeat to shock the Kings in overtime in game two. Dan Gentzler was the hero just forty seconds into the first overtime period. The Eagles were badly out shot 41-17, but Karel St. Laurent turned in a solid performance between the pipes to pick up the win.

This series is eerily similar to how the first two games played out in round two against the Grizzlies. Victoria took game two in overtime and went on to take a 3-1 series lead. We all know how that finished but the Kings can't afford to let that happen again. 

TEAM SCOPE

Kings- Powell River goes on the road for games three and four in the Conference Final. The Kings were very good in Surrey this season winning two out of three and taking five out of a possible six points. The Kings are 1-2 in the post season away from Hap Parker Arena, with one of those being an overtime loss.

Powell River is coming off a frustrating loss to the Eagles in game two. The team peppered the Eagles goal all night, firing 41 pucks on net, but only got one goal to show for it. However, the issue wasn't the volume of shots, it was the quality of the shots on St. Laurent. The coaches are emphasizing shot selection going into tonight's game.  Simply put... make every shot count. The team hasn't made it diffitcult enough for the Ealges goaltender.

Also the power-play will need a jump start in game three. With the league going to a two referee system you will see more power-plays, and as of now, the Kings haven't capitalized on their chances.  A perfect example was late in game two, tied at one, the Kings had a full two minutes in the Surrey zone but were unable to cash in. The Kings are 0-10 so far in the first two games combined.


Eagles- Surrey is coming off a big win in game two. Playing with only 10 forwards and under pressure for most of the night, the Eagles erased a first period deficit and won in overtime. Surrey essentially played with two and a half lines for the majority of the game, especially late when overtime was looming. One wonders if this team can sustain their pace of play as the series continues.

If you look at the series on paper, you would assume the Eagles have the advantage with the next two games in their own barn. However, the Eagles are 3-2 on home ice, going 1-2 in round two against Langley. Furthermore, the Eagles only mustered 1 point out of a possible 6 versus the Kings in three games at the South Surrey Arena in the regular season. How much weight does that hold? We will find out tonight.

As much as I talk about the struggles of the Kings power-play I should also credit the Eagles penalty-kill. It has been almost unbeatable this playoffs. Coming into tonight the Eagles have the best PK in the BCHL at 93.65 %. Through 11 games in the playoffs the Eagles have only surrendered four power-play goals against. The key will be which team can break through on the power-play tonight.

WHO'S HOT- Matt Garbowsky now has goals in back to back games after being held scoreless in seven games against Victoria. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for the Kings sniper. Chad Niddery is stepping up in his final post season in the BCHL. The twenty year old picked up one more point on Saturday and now has 12 points in nine games.

Bradley McGowan scored for the first time in three games in game two. The regular season and playoff leading scorer for Surrey hadn't scored since game three in Langley. The depth players have been clutch for the Eagles of late. The Eagles have four players with ten or more points and 11 with five or more.

STAT PACK: The Kings on the road in the playoffs are 1-2.  Powell River has been out scored 8-7 in three road games (1-2 OT, 2-5, 4-1).

PUCK DROP: Pre-game show is at 6:45pm and puck drop is 7:00pm.

Gentzler and the Eagles stun Kings in OT

• Dan Gentzler stunned the crowd with his overtime winner forty seconds into the first overtime period. Gentzler received a nice pass from Tyler Morley on a two on one from the blue line and jammed it home on the blocker side of Garteig. The goal was a result of a failed out by the Kings.
• When you out shoot your opponent 41-17 you usually come out with a sizable win but that's why it's called playoff hockey.
• Anyone else get flash backs to game two against Victoria? Very similar how the first two games played out in this series as it did versus the Grizzlies.
• Kudos to Karel St. Laurent, he was masterful in goal for the Eagles. He battled all night and was the reason why we saw forty seconds of overtime.
• 0-10, that's the number the Kings power-play is after the first two games of this series. Powell River had a pow er-play late in the third with the game tied at one but failed to convert. That has to change for games three and four.
• This game wasn't the sexiest we've seen at the Hap Parker Arena. Both teams were cautious and didn't want to make a mistake and that created a tight, dry hockey game. If the nets were in the corner we would of had more goals.
• How huge is this win for Surrey? They used five defenseman most of the night and only 10, yes 10 forwards. The Eagles dressed 11 but Trevor Cox only saw the ice in warm up.
• The Kings need to find that killer instinct they had all season. It seemed this team didn't have that extra jump or finish they are known to have.
• Is fatigue creeping in to both teams? Surrey is using a pretty short bench and the Kings have played a tonne of hockey in the last week. Tomorrow will be a much need rest day for both teams.
• Looking forward to going to Surrey. The Eagles have the infamous "BIG" ice but for me it's a very enjoyable trip. The Eagles staff are great and their army of volunteers are very nice to us visitors. It's very refreshing going into a rink and not being eye ball because your the opposition.