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B SECTIONKINGS MID-SEASON REPORT 2011-2012 CRASHING THE NET ZAMBONI SHORTHANDED JOCK LIGHT THE LAMP ATTACKING ZONE SPIN-O-RAMA SLAPSHOT PLAYMAKER FIVE-HOLE BLUE LINE ENFORCER OFFICIAL CENTRE POWER PLAY BLOCKER FACEOFF CREASE WINGER ICE RINK PUCK GAME PLAYERS TEAM DETERMINED SNIPER 3-ON-2 BREAKAWAY ZONE OVERTIME REFEREE GOAL BOARDING HAT-TRICK Wednesday.January 18.2012 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALICIA NEWMAN 848H47KINGS LET’S DO IT ALL! 4597 MARINE AVENUE • 604.485.2555 [email protected] • www.tawsonline.com THANKS FOR SHOPPING AT HOME We are hockey BAUER • CCM • EASTON • SHER-WOOD • RBK • VAUGHN BREAKAWAYS POWER PLAYS OVERTIME SHOOTOUTS SHORT-HANDED WIN SHOTS ON GOAL Craig Dalrymple • 27 POWELL RIVER KINGS DEFENSE

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Page 1: Powell River Kings

B SECTIONNESDAY | JUNE 4 | 2008

KINGSMID-SEASON REPORT

2011-2012

CRASHING THE NET

ZAMBONI

SH

OR

TH

AN

DE

D

J O C K

LIGHT THE LAMP ATTACKING ZONE

SPIN-O-RAMA SLAPSHOT

PLAYMAKER

FIV

E-H

OL

E

BL

UE

LIN

E

EN

FO

RC

ER

OF

FIC

IAL

CENTRE

POWER PLAY

BLOCKER FACEOFF

CREASE

WINGER

ICERINK

PUCK GAME PLAYERSTEAM

DETERM

INED

SNIPER

3-ON-2

BREAKAWAY ZON

E

OVERTIME

REFEREE

GOALBOARDINGHAT-TRICK

Wednesday.January 18.2012 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALICIA NEWMAN

848H

47KING

SLET’S DOIT ALL!

4597 MARINE AVENUE • 604.485.2555 [email protected] • www.tawsonline.comTHANKS FOR SHOPPING AT HOME

WearehockeyBAUER • CCM • EASTON • SHER-WOOD • RBK • VAUGHN

BREAKAWAYSPOWER PLAYS OVERTIME

SHOOTOUTSSHORT-HANDED WINSHOTS ON GOAL

Craig Dalrymple • 27POWELL RIVER KINGS DEFENSE

Page 2: Powell River Kings

2 Wednesday.January 18.2012 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

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Enduring Partnerships…Thriving CommunitiesWe know there’s more to life than dollars and cents. There’s passion, endurance, commitment and community. As part of the community, Investors Group is proud to share in this and all of life’s special moments.

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COLLISION SPECIALISTS

GLEN GIBBSPeak Sports

If Powell River Kings are finding the road to the playoffs a little tougher this year then they only have themselves to blame.

It’s often mentioned and readily admitted that Coastal Conference teams are tired of watching the Kings hoist the Cliff McNabb Trophy over their heads.

For some the answer was to bolster the coaching staff while others did their homework and found themselves some very skilled players.

Several teams have been very successful through the first half while the Kings have admittedly struggled to find their stride. Much of that has to do with injuries, suspensions and distractions such as the WJAC (Western Junior A Challenge) but Kent Lewis, coach and general manager, is relishing

the challenge to finish strong down the stretch.

Q: First, congratulations on your WJAC success. Talk about that experience.

KL: You realize you’re not getting any younger and you want the opportunity. When I applied I knew Mark Ferner [Vernon Viper’s coach for the last three years] had also. I was confident in my abilities but realistic, saying “I don’t care how good you think you are, here’s a guy that’s beaten me in the last three league finals.” When I saw he went to the Western Hockey League, I thought maybe if I was close then something might come about. I got a call in mid-July asking if I was still interested and I said, “Yeah, definitely.” About an hour later we were interviewing assistant coaches and from there, looking back at it now, you realize how much there was to do. It was a whirlwind.

Q: This wasn’t your regular Kings camp and schedule. Can you take us through the process?

KL: Hockey Canada was an amazing experience. Being around all of that comes with added pressure because you want to do well in that environment. I had great resources, great staff and no one is successful without the support around them; I have to say it was fabulous. We had to get our group ready, like any other team I’ve coached, but we had a short

window of 18 or 19 days to make sure our group was growing and getting better every day. You didn’t have 60 games to get it all done.

So the psyche, the execution and the team systems...had to be bang on. We implemented our systems early from the camps in Canmore and the kids knew exactly how we wanted them to play and the buy-in was fantastic. At this level it’s not hard because the kids realize what’s at stake.

I don’t think [the final] was close.

There was never swagger but we were dialed in, no question, and it was good.

Q: What did you learn from all of that and perhaps bring back to the Kings?

KL: I learned a lot and it reinforced everything that we, as a group, already believed in. There’s a right and a wrong way to play and I’ve always believed that. If you want to win a championship there’s only one way to play and we played that way in that tournament

Kings still the team to beat

BACKSTOPPING CHANGE: Powell River Kings’ captain Chris Williams gets one in the net on new back-up goaltender Jonah Imoo during the team’s first practice with its new lineup. ALICIA BAAS PHOTO

Page 3: Powell River Kings

3 Wednesday.January 18.2012 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

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and were successful. There are no shortcuts or easy way to get there. It’s also how we’ve prided ourselves in playing here. It is attention to detail and learning where you need to be better. Being around Hockey Canada you see that.

Q: This event, combined with suspensions and injuries and the new 21-man roster rule, has been a challenge for the Kings this year.

KL: We had players [Sean Maguire and Evan Richardson] away and I told the kids I’m going to be around in the second half constantly. You’re going to have injuries and certainly the 21-man roster rule has affected things a lot. I think we need to be consistent in terms of not just the lineup but our staff and our play.

Q: Consistent seems to be the key word in the Kings’ playbook this year.

KL: Defensively, right now we’re best goals against in the league and that’s always a goal. Our goals for have come up and we’ve started to get better at that but, you are right, we just have to be more consistent. We’ve lost quite a few games where we were bloody awful. If we play the way we’re capable of, and to what I expect, our record will improve. In the second half we’ve got to be playing Kings’ hockey day in and day out. If it means maybe I’m a grumpier guy then that’s going to be the case because we can’t be as inconsistent in the second

half as we were in the first.Q: You are middle of the pack

in special teams both on the powerplay and killing them. That’s an important statistic for any successful team, isn’t it?

KL: We just talked about being consistent and we were either missing a couple of key people or just not digging down enough. I’ve got to say, where we’ve mostly been inconsistent is our overall grit level and just day in and day out grind it out. That is why we’re sitting at 12 losses and that’s why we’re sitting in second or third place in our division. That’s where we have to be better and when we are those numbers will improve.

Q: While the defensive numbers are on track, the offence has been led by the blueline. Are you surprised by that and do you expect that to continue?

KL: I think it’s starting to round itself out. You don’t expect a defenceman to lead your team in scoring, I mean he’s [Craig Dalrymple] having a great year so kudos to him. We’re going to have a lot of guys in double digits and we do need some forwards to challenge Dalrymple for top scorer on our team.

Q: Kings have had great goaltending in the last few years and this year is no exception.

KL: We knew coming in that we had two good young guys to push each other. Now in the second half

there are not a lot of games left and we want to have both of them ready. We want to develop both, which is what we’ve said all along, and so far it has worked out very well.

Q: I know you’re not one for predictions but what is the goal of the Kings in the second half?

KL: To be the best team in the league.

Q: It looks like there are a few teams in the conference who don’t want to see that happen.

KL: This is exactly what we said it would be. Whether it’s telling you in the newspaper or telling my players it would be a dogfight—getting out to a 6-0 lead to start the year, I thought that was a little unrealistic and was surprised by that. Surprised because we’ve got a lot of new faces. This year has seen the biggest turnover of new players in the last three years. Players and even the fans have to realize that this isn’t a cakewalk. This is going to be a tough division because there are a lot of teams sick and tired of us coming out of the coast and we’ve had a target on our backs for a couple of years, this year in particular. At the same time it’s going to be fun.

Q: Last year you virtually coasted into the playoffs. What’s different this year?

KL: We’ve got 12 losses and I’ll be honest, six or seven of them have been ridiculous. On the road

we’ve been terrible and we’ve just got to show up. Our program is that players come in every year and represent our hockey club. Our philosophy stays the same...These guys are coming into our program for one, two or three years and

this is our team for one year and we want good tenants. That’s in the team picture—guys who are going to represent us well, game in and game out, being consistent, playing the right way. I like our group.

ADDITIONS ADD UP: Powell River Kings’ coach and general manager Kent Lewis [centre] drops the puck for newcomer Teal Burns [left] and Cohen Adair during a recent practice. ALICIA BAAS PHOTO

Page 4: Powell River Kings

2011-2012POWELL RIVER KINGS

2Brandan Smith

Position: Defence Year: 1992Height: 6’3” Weight: 220

Hometown: Victoria, BC

4Jordan Paddock

Position: Defence Year: 1993Height: 5’11” Weight: 186

Hometown: Campbell River, BC

8Teagan Waugh

Position: Forward Year: 1992Height: 5’9” Weight: 175Hometown: Nanaimo, BC

9Evan Richardson

Position: Forward Year: 1994Height: 5’8” Weight: 170Hometown: Nanaimo, BC

10Jordan Benton

Position: Defence Year: 1992Height: 5’8” Weight: 165

Hometown: Cambridge, ONT

11Matt Scarth

Position: Forward Year: 1993Height: 5’10” Weight: 180

Hometown: Calgary, AB

12

Brandon Tidy Position: Forward Year: 1993

Height: 6’1” Weight: 180Hometown: Campbell River, BC

15

Jarryd Leung Position: Forward Year: 1994

Height: 6’ Weight: 170Hometown: Victoria, BC

17

Daniel Schuler Position: Forward Year: 1992

Height: 5’9” Weight: 175Hometown: Rochester, NY

18

Steven Schmidt Position: Forward Year: 1991

Height: 6’3” Weight: 195Hometown: Campbell River, BC

20

Chris Williams Position: Defence Year: 1991

Height: 6’2” Weight: 215Hometown: Pottstown, PA

21

Tanner Cochrane Position: Forward Year: 1993

Height: 6’ Weight: 174Hometown: Kamloops, BC

22

Cohen Adair Position: Forward Year: 1991

Height: 6’1” Weight: 200Hometown: Stratford, ONT

25

James Neil Position: Forward Year: 1995

Height: 6’1” Weight: 192Hometown: White Rock, BC

27

Craig Dalrymple Position: Defence Year: 1991

Height: 6’5” Weight: 212Hometown: Kippen, ONT

Jon Jutzi Position: Defence Year: 1991

Height: 6’3” Weight: 195Hometown: Tavistock, ONT

24

Jonah Imoo Position: Goalie Year: 1994Height: 5’9” Weight: 160

Hometown: Surrey, BC

1

Sean Maguire Position: Goalie Year: 1993Height: 6’2” Weight: 205Hometown: Powell River, BC

35

Teal Burns Position: Forward Year: 1992Height: 5’11” Weight: 185

Hometown: Victoria, BC

44

Kent LewisHead Coach

& General Manager

Chad van DiemenAssociate Head Coach

& Assistant General Manager

Geoff Grimwood Assistant Coach

Alex RawnsleyPlay-by-Play Announcer

Brendon KerrTrainer

Elise StathamMarketing & Community

Relations Manager

Pat HurrenTrainer

23

Mitch Ball Position: Forward Year: 1994

Height: 6’ Weight: 160Hometown: Powell River, BC

14

JP Villeneuve Position: Forward Year: 1992Height: 5’10” Weight: 180

Hometown: Georgetown, ONT

16

Brendon MacDonald Position: Forward Year: 1991Height: 5’11” Weight: 190

Hometown: Calgary, AB

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B5 Wednesday.January 18.2012 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.comB4 Wednesday.January 18.2012 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

Page 5: Powell River Kings

6 Wednesday.January 18.2012 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

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P L A Y E R Q U O T E S

What is your favourite Powell River memory?

“I have loved coming out to the Sunshine Coast from Ontario and the experience of living with a family here in Powell River.”JON JUTZI No. 24

“My best memory so far was my first day in the new town with my billets.”JAMES NEIL No. 25

“Skating with the kids at the New Year’s Eve party has been a great memory so far this year.”MITCH BALL No. 23

“The home opener this season versus Nanaimo and having a packed-in Hap Parker Arena.”JARRYD LEUNG No. 15

““I loved the New Year’s party. That was a lot of fun.”

JORDAN BENTON No. 10

“In my first season here, the 2009-2010 season, we made it to game seven of the Fred Page Cup versus Vernon. That was pretty special.”TEAGAN WAUGH No. 21

“Playing and spending time with a great group of guys.”BRANDON TIDY No. 12

“The best memory so far has been skating on the rink on New Year’s Eve and ringing in 2012 with the community.”JORDAN PADDOCK No. 4

“Winning game seven versus Victoria last year in the second

round of the playoffs.”CHRIS WILLIAMS No. 11

“I’m from Calgary and so the first ferry ride with the boys on the Kings’ bus down the Sunshine

Coast was pretty amazing.”MATT SCARTH No. 11

“The comeback against Victoria in last year’s playoffs.”

STEVEN SCHMIDT No. 18

“I’d have to say the best memory was my first goal in Powell River in September 2010 when I scored the overtime winner versus Victoria. The goal cleared the entire Kings’ bench and the fans were out of their seats.”COHEN ADAIR No. 22

“Scoring two overtime winners in a row this past season.”DANIEL SCHULER No. 17

“Seeing the sunsets here.”EVAN RICHARDSON No. 9

“The first week I was here we got out and explored Powell River. We got to

experience cliff jumping at Eagle River and Mowat Bay with the boys.”

BRANDON SMITH No. 2

“I loved my first impression of the town and meeting my billets for the first time.”

TANNER COCHRANE No. 23

“My favourite memory of Powell River was when Jutzi scored the overtime winner in game five of the Victoria series last season.”

SEAN MAGUIRE No. 35

“Coming back from being down 3-1 versus Victoria to win the

series in game seven.”CRAIG DALRYMPLE No. 27

Team LeadersAssists Craig Dalrymple 22Games Played James Neil 39Goals Cohen Adair 20Penalty Minutes Chris Williams 65 Points Craig Dalrymple 38

Power Play 19.3% ninth Home Power Play 23.7% fifth Road Power Play 15.4% twelthPenalty Kill 79% ninthHome Penalty Kill 84.3% fifth

Road Penalty Kill 75% thirteenthShort-Handed Goals 13 firstShort-Handed Goals Against two tied for secondGoals Against 93 first

Goals Against Average 2.38 firstGoals For 128 fifthGoals For/Game 3.28 eighthHome Ice Points 28 tied for third

Kings by the Numbers

Page 6: Powell River Kings

7 Wednesday.January 18.2012 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

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JOSH STATHAMPeak Contributor

Powell River Kings entered the 2011-2012 season with the task of replacing 20-year-old forwards Andrew Pettitt and co-captains Matt Garbowsky and Chad Niddery. The trio tallied 89 goals last season. The search be-gan over the Christmas break at 2010 Mac’s Midget AAA World Hockey Invitational.

First-year Kings’ assistant coach Geoff Grimwood was scouting the event, held an-nually in Calgary since 1978, and discovered Calgary Buffalo centre Matthew Scarth.

“As the season went on I narrowed it down,” Scarth said of the recruiting process. “I had a fly out and I knew this was the place for me.”

He finished the season and spent the sum-mer training at Crash Conditioning along-side Canadian hockey icon and Edmonton Oiler forward Jordan Eberle, and other professionals.

“I just learned from observing him. When you see them on a day-to-day basis, they’re so much physically stronger and better in every way.”

One thing that caught Grimwood’s eye initially was Scarth’s heavy shot, a skill he honed on an outdoor rink.

“Back home we’ve got a nice big backyard. Every winter I make a backyard rink with my dad, and every summer we have a plastic glass sheet that we borrow from the rink so I can practice shooting.

“It’s a little depressing not to be able to walk out to the backyard rink,” Scarth said of his change of address. “But the sunsets here on the Sunshine Coast are unbeatable.”

By the time the Kings opened the season in Nanaimo Scarth’s confidence was sky-high. He earned first star in his first BC Hockey League game, scoring two goals in a 3-2 Kings’ win. He wouldn’t bulge the twine again until Remembrance Day, a drought that spanned 15 games. “I was on a bit of a dry streak adjusting and learning what it takes to be a successful Junior A hockey player.”

To improve his foot speed and condition-ing Scarth started a rigorous training re-gime, which included changes to his diet and sleeping patterns, and a lot of gym time.

“In the gym I’ve been concentrating on stretching. At the beginning of the year I wasn’t doing that, and I wasn’t taking care

of the things that lead to injuries.“Nutrition-wise I’m just trying to get the

fuel I require before and after an ice time so my body isn’t drained.”

Now that his diet and fitness are where they need to be, Scarth is performing at nearly a point-per-game pace. His offensive explosion couldn’t have come at a better time as the goal-challenged Kings desper-ately needed a boost.

The Kings’ rebuild has been made more difficult with new league rules that cut back roster sizes and forced teams to carry a 16-year-old player, as well as a new playoff in which only the top four teams from each conference qualified. After bursting out of the gates 6-0-0, Kings find themselves hang-ing onto second spot having played more games than any other team in the league.

“It really takes a lot of baring down,” Scarth said of what the team needs to do to earn home-ice advantage come playoff time. “We’ve got great leaders on our squad. The younger players have to bring their best ev-ery night, play with a little more intensity to get the two points we need and make sure the little things are done right.”

Recruit hits stride

ICE TIME: Matt Scarth makes a difference for Powell River Kings with shill homed on backyard ice.

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POWELL RIVER KINGS

vsCOWICHAN VALLEY CAPITALS21

GAME ON!

Powell River KingsNew Year Home Schedule

Date Time Visitors Who to cheer for!Fri, Jan. 20 7:30 pm Cowichan Valley Powell RiverSat, Jan. 21 7:30 pm Cowichan Valley Powell RiverSat, Jan. 28 7:30 pm Alberni Valley Powell RiverSun, Jan. 29 1:30 pm Alberni Valley Powell RiverThurs, Feb. 02 7:00 pm Coquitlam Powell RiverSat Feb. 11 7:30 pm Coquitlam Powell RiverSun, Feb. 12 1:30 pm Coquitlam Powell RiverSat, Feb. 18 7:30 pm Victoria Powell RiverSun, Feb. 19 1:30 pm Victoria Powell RiverSat, Feb. 25 7:30 pm Vernon Powell RiverSat, Mar. 03 7:30 pm Surrey Powell RiverSun, Mar. 04 1:30 pm Surrey Powell River

Purchase your tickets at the Kings’ office Monday to Friday from 10 am - 4 pmv W W W . P O W E L L R I V E R K I N G S . C O M

Page 7: Powell River Kings

8 Wednesday.January 18.2012 | Powell River Peak » prpeak.com

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Pantone 186 Black

File: SWY_TM_Horz_IFL_2W.epsDescription: Safeway TM Horizontal Signature with Ingredients for life. 2 Color on White Date: March 23, 2005

7040 Barnet Street • 604.485.1233OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK UNTIL 9 PM

Sushi • BBQ Chicken • Subs

Paninis

all beFore Game niGht!

Enjoy our delicious menu items for lunch, dinner or appies. Or just relax with a beverage in comfortable surroundings. TC’s Pub is the perfect place to meet friends or business associates.

TC’s Pub is situated in the Town Centre Hotel. Centrally located at Joyce Avenue & Barnet Street.

For info or reservations call

604.485.3000

Check out our WEBSITE for great food and drink specials, as well as upcoming live entertainment!

www.prtowncentrehotel.com

GO KINGS GO!

www.firstcu.ca

POWELL RIVER KINGSVS. COWICHAN VALLEY CAPITALS

JOIN COAST REALTY ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

BALLOON POP AND GREAT PRIZES!All proceeds to the United Way

PROUDLYSPONSORED BY

664V

12KING

S

Game tickets $10 youth/adult, $5 child Limited number available at Coast Realty

VANCOUVER’S GREEN MEN!Pregame Tailgate Party - 5:30 pm

Photo Op with the Green Men andmusic by Powell River’s own Bluegrass band