(Alex’s Note: A big thank you to Dustin Scafe who pinch hit as my colour analyst for tonight’s game. Dustin is the Voice of the Fort St. John Flyers, and is in town for the Savage Cup. If Kings hockey isn’t enough for you, I highly encourage you to head to the Hap for the games, or listen online via http://www.energeticcity.ca.)
In a flip flop of what we had come to expect from this series, the Kings got neither of their trademark first goal or good start, but were able to rally and defeat Coquitlam 3-2 on Thursday night, to earn a chance to end the series on Friday evening.
For the first time in this series, the Express got the first goal of the game. Late in the 1st period, the Express worked the puck around on the powerplay, eventually a scramble in front saw Alex Kerfoot score his 4th of the playoffs and a 1-0 Coquitlam lead. Into the 2nd period and the Express would double their lead, 6:04 into the frame through John Siemer, who was able to get around the Kings defence and roof a shot past Sean Maguire for a 2-0 game.
That bought about the first goaltending change of the series, as the Kings pulled Sean Maguire and gave Jonah Imoo his first playoff experience in the BCHL in a move designed to spark the Kings. It worked.
Five minutes after the switch, the Kings on their own powerplay, worked the puck around from the point, down low to Daniel Schuler who then found Cohen Adair in tight, he slid a puck through Khaleed Devji for his 2nd of the post season and a 2-1 game. Just 64 seconds later, the Kings were at it again. While tied up with an Express player, Evan Richardson kicked a puck at speed to Matt Scarth along the left wing, Scarth got a low shot on net which left a big rebound out in front for Teal Burns to bury, his 2nd and a tie game.
The Burns-Scarth-Richardson goal was good…the eventual game winner was better. JP Villeneuve passing from out wide, found Brendon MacDonald in the high slot, he spun, passed backhand to a streaking Teagan Waugh who deflected him his 1st of the playoffs, and with three unanswered goals the Kings came back and took the game 3-2.
Sean Maguire and Jonah Imoo combined in a 36 save performance, with Imoo getting 17 of them and his first BCHL playoff win. The Kings now lead the Coastal Conference semi-final series 3 games to 2, and have a chance to eliminate the Express on Friday in game 6.
Here’s what Geoff Grimwood had to say following the game:
Game 6 goes Friday night at 7:00pm in Coquitlam. The broadcast will begin at 6:45pm on 95.7 SunFM. If needed, a game 7 will be Saturday night, at the Hap, an 8:00pm opening faceoff.
Leave a comment