Needing a big period to seal a home ice and send the Coastal Conference Finals back to Alberni Valley for a Game 7 on Saturday, the Powell River Kings came through in a 3-1 victory over the Bulldogs at the newly-coined Hap Parker Arena on Friday evening.
Both teams managed 22 shots apiece through 40 minutes, but the game remained in a scoreless deadlock entering the third period. Both teams came out of the gates strong in the final frame, as Chad Niddery put the Kings ahead at the 1:13 mark off a pass from Andrew Pettitt before Mitch MacMillan tied the score minutes later on a Bulldogs power play.
But Powell River took advantage of a man-advantage opportunity of their own at the midway point of the period, as Mitch Labreche put the home side ahead for good with his fourth goal of the postseason. The Kings were able to hold the one-goal lead until the final minute of the game, when captain Mat Bodie scored an insurance marker into an empty net.
Both netminders were excellent on the night, as Josh Watson made 27 saves for the victory while Frank Sluwbowski faced 36 shots in the loss.
The teams will now return to Vancouver Island on Saturday for Game 7 and to chance to earn a berth in the 2010 Fred Page Cup Finals. Faceoff from the Weyerhaeuser Arena is set for 7:00 PM.
