The Kings scored goals in each period and survived a fight filled third period, en route to a 3-0 shut out of the Surrey Eagles. The win is also extra special as Mike Garteig tied the single season shutout record at seven. More on that later.
Matt Garbowsky didn't score the most conventional way for his 39th of the season. Just 6:33 into the first period Garbowsky had a clearing attempt deflect off his leg as he was crashing into the net. The puck some how manage to elude the Eagle goaltender Karel St. Laurent. That would be the only goal of the first period.
The Kings did however miss opportunities to increase their lead as they had three power-plays in the opening period by failed to score. Powell River out shot Surrey 16-7.
Powell River was good at not allowing the Eagles to use the big ice to their advantage. Countless times the Kings bottled up the Surrey breakout by not allowing the Eagles to fire break out pass across the zone. The Kings were also effective at getting quickly out of their zone and not spending energy chasing the puck.
In the second it was more of the same as the Kings continued to frustrate the Surrey Eagles attack. Time and again the Eagles top guns were held at bay as they were unable to get to scoring areas. Brad McGowan who came in leading the BCHL scoring was held without a goal and only a handful of shots on net.
The Kings power-play finally kicked it into high gear when Cohen Adair scored at 8:42. Adair took a pass from Chad Niddery in the slot, between the circles and fired a hard snap shot low past the glove of St. Laurent.
The Eagles did put more shots on net in the second period but were once again unable to put one past Mike Garteig. Through two periods he stopped 23 shots.
The third period is where this game took a turn for the worse. In total, 67 penalty minutes were handed out, including five fighting majors and five game misconducts.
Garbowsky and Justin Bardarson for Powell River and Mitch Jones and Colton Mackie for Surrey were ejected at the 6:38 mark. The melee was sparked by Jones's check from behind in the Eagles zone on the right half wall. Niddery had his back turned to Jones as he was playing the puck when he was taken from behind on the side glass. Bardarson raced in after Jones and Garbowsky and Mackie had a wrestling match in the corner. How those two got fighting majors is beyond me.
That situation would repeat itself later in the third period.
Capping the scoring in the third period was Jon Jutzi getting a power-play marker with just over a minute left in the period. Jutzi had a Andrew Pettitt cross crease feed deflect off his stick and in. Take them anyway way you can. It must of been extra special as his parents were in attendance tonight. Jutzi's and Dalrymple's parents have made the trek from Ontario to watch their sons this weekend.
There were three other fights in the third period. Carter Shinkaruk had a spirited tilt with Eagles defenseman Beau Orser at 7:18. Both aren't your regular pugilists but were game and it showed. Shinkaruk landed some good right hands before they wrestled each other down.
On another contentious play, Steven Schmidt went after Daniel Genztler. Gentzler took a run at Niddery with just under five minutes left in the third period. Niddery once again was on the side wall, this time at centre, when Genztler hit him up high and from behind. The insuing scurmish had Schmidt B-lining it for Gentzler which didn't materialize into a scrap. Genztler was shown the door and Niddery was no worse for wear-luckly.
The Final scrap came 17:11 when two heavy weights met inside the Kings zone. Justin DaSilva was having a running feud with Eagles rear guard Linden Saip. The two finally squared off in the Kings left corner, with DaSilva landing a few upper cuts and Saip responding with a good hook of his own.
After the dust settled the Kings had a 3-0 victory over the Surrey Eagles. The Kings snapped the Eagles six game win streak and now are riding a four game streak of their own. The win also cliches the season series for Powell River. Their record after five games against Surrey is 3-1-1-0.
Mike Garteig's shutout is his 7th of the season that ties a BCHL single season record now shared by Brad Thiessen. Thiessen set the mark in 2005-2006 with the Centennials and Spruce Kings.
Here's my conversation with Garteig
LISTEN HERE
The Kings now are 39-8-3-2 and have a 14 point lead over Surrey for first place. The Kings now are just three points away from clinching first place in the Coastal Conference
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