Hockey Kings bounce back with strong performance against the Voyageurs
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Red Deer College | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
|
Portage College | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Brent Forster - RDC
The Hockey Kings weren't happy with their defensive effort Friday in Lac La Biche but Saturday they nearly locked the game completely down in their zone. The Kings grabbed an early lead and skated to a 3-1 road victory.
Tyler Berkholtz had a strong weekend and struck quickly once again on Saturday afternoon. The Management Certificate student from Penticton beat Garret Montour at 0:47 on the power play. Dylan Baer and Tyrell Mappin had the assists. Over 20 minutes, the Voyageurs tested Troy Trombley 10 times but the second-year goaltender from Sherwood Park was sharp. The Kings had 9 shots on Montour.
At 11:33 of the second period, Landon Kletke put the Kings up by a pair. Damien Kulynych had the lone helper. The Kings peppered Montour and outshot the Voyageurs 16-8 in the period.
Tyler Berkholtz continued his hot streak and found the back of the net at 9:30 of the third period. Tyrell Mappin and Lynnden Pastachak picked up the assists. With 2:31 remaining, Erik Campbell scored on the man advantage and reduced the Kings' lead to 3-1. Montour was pulled with 20 seconds remaining but Trombley shut the door. The Kings won 3-1. Portage College had 12 shots in the period. RDC responded with 8. Over 60 minutes, the Kings outshot the Voyageurs 33-30. Troy Trombley played well and turned aside 29 out of 30 shots (0.967).
Kings Hockey Head Coach Trevor Keeper liked the improved defensive effort. "We were much better defensively and we managed the puck more effectively today," said Keeper.
Several student-athletes impressed their coach. "Tyler Berkholtz had another good game and scored two more goals. In the weekend series he had a total of 5 points," said Keeper. "Troy Trombley played very well and made some timely saves for us. Our penalty kill was good and Landon Kletke and Ben Williams played key roles."
The third place RDC Kings (17-7-2-0) will host the first place NAIT Ooks (21-2-2-1) Friday, February 23 at 7:00 p.m. at the Penhold Multiplex. The Kings' regular season will wrap up on Saturday in Edmonton against the Ooks. The RDC Kings have secured a playoff spot although the positioning of the teams can change in the final weekend.