MacEwan over RDC in double overtime, Kings earn a point

Brent Forster - RDC with information from Austin Connelly, MacEwan Athletics

Edmonton, AB – When a game hits double overtime, anything is possible. The RDC Kings and MacEwan University Griffins were even 3-3 after 65 minutes. Then just 23 seconds into a three-on-three double overtime period, Jordan Taupert popped the game-winner for the home team.

The rookie forward from Beaumont roofed a rebound in tight past Red Deer College goaltender Nathan Alalouf to give the Griffins a 4-3 victory in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) action at the Downtown Community Arena.

The Griffins pushed their record to 11-5-0-0, just four points shy of the Kings (12-2-2-0) for second place in the ACAC standings.

MacEwan's Zach Aston kicked off the scoring late in the opening period when his point shot went through a crowd and found the back of the net for his first career ACAC goal.

After mustering just 17 shots on Friday night in Red Deer, the Griffins topped that in the first period alone with 20.

Marc-Olivier Daigle was good once again for the Griffins, tossing aside 15 shots in the frame, including a few key stops on the penalty kill to keep the score 1-0.

The Griffins doubled their lead just 1:30 into the second period, after a solid effort from rookie Kole Gable, who chipped the puck around his defender and quickly fired it top shelf in tight on the power play.

Before the period was up, Mathieu Lapointe got the Kings on the board with a slapshot from the left side that fooled Daigle – one of just 31 shots to elude him in the first 40 minutes.

Shortly after, Austin Hunter tied it when the puck was thrown from behind the net and it took a favourable bounce past Daigle. Jacob Wozney and Regan Doig had the assists.

Lapointe then scored his second with 6:52 remaining in the third.

But with 4:10 left in the game – just six seconds after MacEwan had a goal waived off – Joseph Karpyshyn got the equalizer, from the slot.

Regulation and four-on-four overtime solved nothing until Taupert potted the winner in the next frame.

Daigle finished with 40 saves for MacEwan, while Alalouf stopped 42 for RDC. Taupert and Lapointe were named players of the game.

The Kings went zero-for-four on the power play. The Griffins scored once on six tries.

On Friday, Jan. 17, the second place Kings (12-2-2-0) and Vikings (8-8-0-0) will clash in Camrose at 7:30 pm.