Trojans strike in overtime, Kings earn one point in the standings

Brent Forster - Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics

Red Deer, AB - Kings captain Tyler Podgorenko gave his team a chance to win against the SAIT Trojans.

Trailing 5-4, the smooth skating defenceman tied the game with 1:37 remaining, sending the game to overtime. But a full comeback wasn't in the cards. SAIT's Carson Welke capitalized on a breakaway to give the visitors a 6-5 overtime decision. The Kings earned one point in the standings. 

"Everyone from our goaltender, to d-men, to our forwards, we have to be better defensively," said Trevor Keeper, Red Deer Polytechnic Kings Hockey Head Coach. "We can't win games if we are giving up five or six goals a game. That has to change." 

Salaway (59)

At the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, Kyle Salaway provided the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings a lead only 1:10 into the first period when he found room behind Trojans netminder Trevor Martin. Less than six minutes later Braydon Jenkins beat Kings goaltender Arik Weersink to even the contest 1-1. 

The RDP Kings were energized in the second period, going up 4-1 on goals from Cruz Cote, Kyle Salaway's second of the evening, and Jacob Kendall. Before the period expired, McKenzie Welke brought the Trojans within a pair. 

The SAIT Trojans began the final frame with three consecutive goals of their own to pull ahead 5-4. Carson Welke began that stretch with a goal only 1:10 into the third period. About four minutes later, SAIT's Kaden Hanas struck shorthanded and Liam Freeborn added his team's fifth marker at 9:31. 

After a Kings' timeout and Weersink on the bench with time winding down, captain Tyler Podgorenko ripped a slapshot high on the blocker side to tie the game 5-5.

Over the past few years, Keeper and the Kings have converted several times with the goaltender pulled and the extra attacker. 

Podgorenko (3) and Smith (19)

"The guys have some structure of what we're supposed to do off the face-off and then once we're in the offensive zone with the puck, the guys believe and know they can score in those situations," said Keeper.

In overtime, Zach Zieglar's clearing pass from the Trojans' zone sprung Carson Welke on a breakaway and the former member of the Camrose Kodiaks raced up the left side, cut across the middle, and tucked the puck between Weersink's pads for the 6-5 game winning goal. 

"In my years here we have been very successful in overtime and we are a pretty young team with 14 new players," explained Keeper. "But it's losing your man in a four-on-four. It takes one split second and they got a breakaway to finish it." 

With three points, Carson Welke was named the SAIT Trojans Player of the Game. Kyle Salaway, an Electrical Engineering Technician student, was rewarded with the North Star Sports Kings Player of the Game award, contributing a pair of goals. 

Shots were even 37-37.

"We know that we can score goals and we know that we can come from behind. We can't give up four, or five, or six goals every game and we're giving up odd man rushes," said Keeper. "For 80 to 90 per cent of the time, everyone is in a good spot - man-on-man - everybody is shoulder checking, finding their guys and then a little breakdown. Most of it was against the rush I think."

The Trojans went zero-for-two on the power play. The Kings couldn't connect on five tries with the extra skater. 

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings (1-1-1-0) will look to get back into the win column when they host the Portage College Voyageurs (0-3-0-0) on Friday, December 3 at 7 pm.

The SAIT Trojans (3-0-0-0) will face the Concordia University Thunder (2-0-0-0) on the same evening in Calgary.