The Kings have been rolling, winning 7 of their past 9. Pic - Colby Brochu Photography
The Kings have been rolling, winning 7 of their past 9. Pic - Colby Brochu Photography

Eleven Kings hit scoresheet, drop Clippers in Saskatchewan

Brent Forster - RDC

Caronport, SK - The Red Deer College Kings took their four game winning streak on the road, and with a balanced attack of seven different goal scorers, the Kings bumped their winning streak to five consecutive games, downing the host Briercrest College Clippers 7-1.

Only 4:23 into the first period, Lynnden Pastachak gave the RDC Kings an early lead. Inside the Clippers' blueline, Dylan Baer sent a cross ice pass to Tanner Butler who quickly found Lynnden Pastachak, and the Kinesiology student beat Dan Dekoning for his tenth of the season. Then as time was winding down in the period, Tyler Podgorenko spotted Dylan Thudium skating in the high slot and the fourth-year centre wasted no time firing it past Dekoning on the stick side. Chase Thudium had the other assist.

Tanner Butler (24) had a pair of assists. Pic - Colby Brochu Photography

The RDC Kings scored three consecutive markers in the second period, taking a 5-0 edge. Chance Longjohn, Ryley Smith and Chase Thudium recorded the goals in under an eight minute span. With 1:52 left in the frame, Briercrest College's Halen Cordoni finally solved Troy Trombley, but that would be the only one that would get by the six-foot-six goaltender from Sherwood Park. 

Scott Ferguson (17) Pic - Colby Brochu Photography

In the third, Parker Smyth and Mike Statchuk added tallies, and the Kings finalized a 7-1 road victory. 

The visitors tested Dekoning 43 times. Trombley stopped 25 out of 26 (0.962).

RDC's Ryley Smith and Briercrest's Halen Cordoni were selected as the top performers on their teams. 

It was truly a win by committee. Eleven different Kings hit the scoresheet and seven players had multiple points. Chase Thudium and Dylan Baer contributed three points each. The trio of points gave Chase Thudium 37 on the year, moving him one point ahead of SAIT's Dean Allison for top spot in ACAC Men's Hockey. In league defencemen scoring, Tanner Butler (30 points) and Dylan Baer (24) sit first and third.

With the win, the RDC Kings (18-7-1-1) improve to 38 points in the standings, and share second spot with the MacEwan University Griffins (18-7-1-1). NAIT (20-6-0-1) has 41 points. SAIT (17-10-0-0) is fourth with 34 points and the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings (16-10-1-0) are only one point back, in fifth. 

On Saturday, March 2, the Kings and Clippers will clash in a rematch at 2:00 p.m, wrapping up the regular season. The top six teams will make the playoffs.