Hockey Kings earn a point, Ooks pick up overtime win

Brent Forster - RDC

In Edmonton, the Hockey Kings faced the NAIT Ooks, and skated with the first-place club stride-for-stride. The Kings sent the contest to overtime with a late third period goal. When four-on-four overtime solved nothing, NAIT eventually picked up the win during the three-on-three overtime period.

Troy Trombley was the starting goaltender and gave the Kings a chance to win. Nathan Park was in net for the Ooks. The RDC Kings hit the scoresheet first at 6:06 of the opening period, when Chase Thudium beat Park. David Heath and Damien Kulynych picked up the assists. NAIT's Thomas Foster tied the game 1-1 at 7:13. Over 20 minutes, Trombley turned aside 12 out of 13 shots while Park stopped 9 out of 10 Kings' attempts.

Neither team could find the back of the net in the middle frame. Trombley was perfect on 14 shots and Park stopped 11.

At 5:27 of the third period, Jake Mykitiuk gave the Ooks a 2-1 lead. The Kings showed persistence and battled back with 2:58 remaining to tie the game 2-2. Lynnden Pastachak beat Park to push the game to overtime. Dylan Thudium and Tyler Berkholtz earned the helpers. In the third period, the Kings tested Park 4 times while the Ooks sent 11 shots on Trombley. 

Neither team could score during the 5 minute four-on-four overtime period so the contest headed to 5 minutes of three-on-three. At 3:23, the Ooks' Ty Stanton scored the winner and NAIT picked up a 3-2 home win. The Kings earned a single point in the standings. RDC fired 8 shots at NAIT's goaltender over both overtime periods, while Trombley was tested 6 times. Trombley, a second-year Open Studies student, was solid in net and made 41 saves out of 44 shots.  

Trevor Keeper, head coach of the RDC Kings, thought that it was a well played game. "It could have been the best Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Men's Hockey game that I have coached in," said Keeper. "It was very close, and both teams were structured and played within their systems."

Several Kings played well against a talented club. "Chase Thudium had a great game. He was flying tonight and was really moving his feet," said Keeper. "Lynnden Pastachak had a good game and came up big for us again with the tying goal. On defence, Tanner Butler and Dylan Baer were strong and played big minutes."

In a rematch, the RDC Kings (8-4-1-0) will host the NAIT Ooks (11-0-1-0) at the Penhold Multiplex on Saturday, November 25 at 7:00 p.m. The Kings share second spot in the standings with the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings. Both teams have 17 points and the Ooks sit in top spot with 24 points.