The Dogs and Kings hadn't seen each other since early September, but they looked like old friends immediately with a fantastic start to the game, as it was end-to-end with no whistles over the first four minutes. The Dogs wouldn't be able to keep the Teddy Bears in the stands for long however, as the Kings opened the scoring just over five minutes in when Jarryd Leung scored on a rebound in the paint off a Jarid Lukosevicius wrap around attempt. The only assist would go to Luke Nogard, at 5:22 of the first. Less than a minute later, a nasty hit from behind was thrown on Rob Click by Lucas Grayson. A hit that according to the suspension handed out to Craig Martin should be probably worth about 4 or 5 games. From Referee Steve Brown, it was worth only two minutes. The call on the ice made by the Referee was boarding. Later the penalty was apparently changed somehow, as the boxscore stated a Blow to the Head. As in blowing the defenders head into the boards from behind maybe? Not how the rule is meant to be enforced as far as I'm aware.
Here's the video, make your own opinion now that you have read mine.
While the Dogs wouldn't connect on the power play, they did tie the game shortly afterwards when Mak Barden took a return pass from Brett Stewart at centre and skated over the Kings line right up the middle where he ripped one from the deep slot top corner, glove side on Imoo to make it 1-1 at 13:57 of the first for a 1-1 tie after one, with the Kings leading the shots 13-10.
The Kings would control the bulk of the play in the second, with Connor LaCouvee coming up with several timely saves to keep it tied at 1-1. The Kings would persist though, and take the lead back late in the period on a fortunate bounce on the power play as Mitch Makin laid down to successfully block a Brian Rideout point shot. The puck would carom off Makin, and right back onto the tape of Rideout who blew one on net that was tipped home by Luke Nogard at the top of the crease to make it 2-1 Kings with 4:56 left in the period, with Jarryd Leung picking up the second assist. The Kings would carry the 2-1 lead into the third period, with a 34-18 advantage in shots.
The score remained that way until the late stages of the third period when the Dogs fought back to tie the game at 2-2 when Tryg Strand put a cross-corner dump in into the Kings zone that was retrieved by Harlan Orr. Strand would go to the net and throw it out front for Strand who roofed a one-timer over Imoo at 14:12. The Dogs would have several good chances in the dying minutes to get the go-ahead goal, but Imoo preserved the tie. In overtime the Kings would win it just over two minutes in on the rush when Kurt Keats wheeled back of the Dogs net before passing it out front the same way he went in for Matt Scarth, who tipped it past LaCouvee for the game winner and the 3-2 final at 2:29 of OT.
Final shots favoured the Kings 48-26 with Connor LaCouvee again taking 2nd star honours with the loss, for the third game in a row, while Jonah Imoo picked up the win. The Dogs went 0 for 4 on the power play while the Kings went 1 for 4.
A tough loss, but in the end a big point for the Dogs against the top team in the league. The point draws the Dogs back within 9 points of the Cowichan Valley Capitals for the final Playoff spot. The teams go at it again tomorrow night, note the start time of 5pm.
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