Hockey Kings edged in overtime

It was a night when forward Pat Martens returned to the ice at the Penhold Multiplex, but this time wearing the opposing red and white colours for the Trojans. Martens was a key contributor for the Kings last season but transferred to SAIT this year.

The Kings trailed at one point 3-1 but rallied to even the game with 1 second remaining. The Trojans eventually won 4-3 in overtime. Mike Salmon started in goal for the Kings while Bolton Pouliot was in net for the Trojans.

The SAIT Trojans opened the scoring 9:05 into the first period on a goal by second year forward Hunter Mills. Matthew Saharchuk extended the Trojans lead with 2:39 remaining in the opening frame. Saharchuk scored on a backhand just inside the right post. With about a minute left Riley Simpson just missed the right side of the SAIT net on a low shot. Usually playing the defense position, Blair Mulder suited up as a forward and skated hard bringing another physical element up front for the Kings.

In the opening twenty minutes the Trojans had 13 shots on Salmon, while the Kings fired 6 shots at Pouliot.

The Kings had a stronger second period creating more offensive chances. With 10:03 left in the second period the Kings narrowed the gap on a goal by Business Administration student Dustin Gorgi. Gorgi found the back of the net on the Kings fourteenth shot of the game. The RDC Kings had stretches of pressure in the Trojans zone including good control on their power play opportunities. The power play had some good looks but couldn't score their second goal in the middle frame. It was a physical period with many big hits.

SAIT fired 7 shots on Salmon in the middle period while the Kings had 12 on Pouliot.

Three minutes fifteen seconds into the final period Michael Lyle put the Trojans up 3-1. The Kings came close to narrowing the gap with just over six minutes remaining as they tried to bang in a rebound but the puck stayed just outside of the net.

With SAIT off for highsticking, Zak Hicks scored with 5:32 left in the third period. Hicks skated in from the point and banged in the rebound. Tyler Berkholtz and Dustin Gorgi picked up the assists.

Kings Head Coach Trevor Keeper called a time out with six seconds remaining in the final period to draw up a play. The face off was in the Trojans zone to the left of Pouliot. The Kings won the draw, a hard shot from the point went wide but bounced out front and in dramatic fashion Dustin Gorgi buried the tying goal with only one second left. Riley Simpson picked up the assist. SAIT finished regulation time with a total of 31 shots while the RDC Kings had 29 shots. 

The game headed to a five minute four-on-four overtime period. Neither team had quality chances in the first two minutes. Mike Salmon made a nice save on a Trojans slap shot from the left side. With two minutes remaining the Trojans scored high on the glove side. Dean Allison wired a hard shot from the point that ended the game. There were several bodies in front and Salmon couldn't see the puck. 

In overtime SAIT added 2 more shots for a game total of 33, while the RDC Kings finished with 29 shots. The Trojans went 0-for-5 on the power play while the Kings converted on 1-of-6 opportunities. 

Keeper felt there was some let down on the overtime goal.

"It's always tough when you go to overtime because anything can happen. We usually are very successful in overtime because we are very aggressive," said Keeper. "We know when we don't have the puck we are man-on-man. There was a little let down of giving their man too much space, even the guys without the puck."

Despite the overtime loss the Kings picked up one point in the standings and Keeper was pleased with the effort to tie the game.

"We were really happy with how we competed and fought back and found a way to get a power play goal to make it 3-2," said Keeper. "With six seconds left drawing up a play, pulling the goaltender, and the guys being poised enough to tie the game up and take it to overtime, we were very proud of that."

Red Deer native Dustin Gorgi was the Kings player-of-the-game. Keeper was happy with the play of the first year forward.

"Dustin is playing very well for a first year player," said Keeper. "He comes out and knows how to play with his line mates, how to get open, he moves the puck well and he is a strong guy. He plays above being a first semester first year player."

The RDC Kings next play Sat. Oct. 22 against the Trojans in Calgary.