Separated by just one goal, the Kings and Queens fall in defeat to end the weekend
Red Deer, October 14, 2023 – The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings end their weekend with back-to-back losses to the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings with the Queens falling for the second consecutive night to the Lakeland College Rustlers.
The Kings went into the final frame leading 4-2 but the Vikings would outscore the Polytechnic 3-1 in the third on their way to scoring the game-winner in overtime.
As for the Queens, first-year Rylee Mepham (Bachelor of Education) would score her first ACAC goal but that was not enough as the Rustlers came away with a 2-1 victory.
See below for more information regarding each hockey game.
Women's Hockey – Lakeland College Rustlers 2 at Queens 1
The Lakeland College Rustlers won back-to-back games against the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens with a close 2-1 victory on Saturday night.
The Rustlers would open the scoring on a powerplay 12 minutes into the opening frame of the period. The goal from forward Hailey Carothers (University Transfer) came only 32 seconds into the Queens penalty. Carothers managed to walk in from the blue line and fired a wrist shot past goaltender Tora Ward (Open Studies) who is playing in just her second ACAC regular season game. But it was her first goal against as she managed to shut out the Olds College Broncos last week Friday as she steered aside all 24 shots she faced.
After picking up an assist on the Carothers goal, defence Olivia Mann (University Transfer) jumped on a loose puck in the slot and fired it home to give the Rustlers an early 2-0 lead. A Rustlers forecheck led to the Queens coughing up the puck behind the net which is when forward Kylie Perry (Business Administration) tossed it in front of the net and it found the stick of Mann.
The Rustlers outshot the Queens 10-6 after the first period.
Her team down by two, Ward came up clutch for the Queens as she stood tall in her net and stopped a Rustlers breakaway opportunity in the early stages of the second.
The Queens were given a prime opportunity to come within one goal of Lakeland but could not solve goaltender Mackenzie Dojahn (University Transfer) on a four-minute powerplay.
Carothers had back-to-back prime scoring opportunities but on the first Ward got a piece of it and the second went off the crossbar. Both of these chances were from the point-blank range.
Lakeland continued to outshoot the Queens 18-13.
In the first three minutes of the third period, in a soccer-like save, Dojahn robbed the Queens of their first goal of the game as she dove across the net to make her 14th save of the game.
The Queens would finally score and cut the Rustlers lead in half with a goal from first-year student-athlete Rylee Mepham (Bachelor of Education) on the powerplay which is her first goal in the ACAC.
But that is the closest the Queens would come as they would fall in back-to-back games against the Rustlers with a final score of 2-1.
Head Coach Kelly Coulter explained that the Queens did not manage the puck very well in the first two periods.
"We did not really keep the puck in the offensive zone. They forecheck well but I still think the puck moves fast and if you move it smart, you can still find those exit points. But I do not think we did that well in the first 40 minutes. We pressed a little bit in the third period but it was too little too late after Rylee scored her first goal."
The players of the game were awarded to Rustlers defence Olivia Mann and Queens forward Rylee Mepham. Mann finished with a goal and an assist with Mepham scoring the lone goal for her team.
The Queens will be back in action next weekend as they have a home-and-home series with the SAIT Trojans that starts in Red Deer at 7 pm with the following game at 1:45 pm on Saturday in Calgary.
As for the Rustlers, they will host the Olds College Broncos next weekend with a 7 pm puck drop on Friday and a 2 pm start on Saturday. Both games will be in Lloydminster.
Men's Hockey – Kings 5 at University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings 6
The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings would fall to the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings in overtime after going into the third period with a 4-2 lead.
In the loss, the Kings got goals from five different players. Deegan Mofford (Open Studies), defense Tanner Sklaruk (Open Studies), defence Brennan Davis (Bachelor of Arts in Psychology), forward Nolan Doell (Bachelor of Education) and forward Ryland McNinch (Bachelor of Education) all scored for their team but it was not enough as they gave up three consecutive goals in the third.
The Kings managed to tie it up with minutes to go to send it to overtime but the effort was proved pointless after giving up the winning goal in the extra fame.
Goaltender Kristian Lyon (Business Administration) was given the start and he outplayed his opposing goaltender, steering aside 41 shots but giving up six goals nonetheless. The Vikings goaltender Rhett Rook stopped 31 of 36 shots.
The Kings will look for their first win of the season as they head up to Edmonton on Friday night to take on the Concordia University Thunder in the first game of the home-and-home series before coming back home for the rematch on Saturday.