Kings deliver outstanding road performance, drop Clippers in consecutive games

Brent Forster – Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics

Caronport, SK – Strong goaltending, sound defence, and effective special teams helped the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings earn back-to-back road victories over the Briercrest College Clippers.

Riding another hot performance from Kings netminder Arik Weersink, the Kings struck on the power play and locked it down defensively, earning another 3-0 shutout victory.

After a scoreless first period, the Kings captured a lead at 17:49 of the middle frame. While on the power play, an offensive zone face-off win allowed the visitors to effectively move the puck around.

Six-foot-two forward Jacob Kendall fed Erik Miller at the top of the right circle and the former member of the Camrose Kodiaks was initially stopped by Clippers netminder Dominik Tmej. Kyle Salaway, a Carpenter Apprenticeship student, deposited the rebound into the net, picking up his sixth goal and eighth point in six games.

The Clippers had an opportunity to even the contest with a power play late in the third period, but an effective penalty kill from the Kings sparked the offence.

On the left side of the Clippers' net, six-foot-four Sean Michalevich coverted a pass from Grimshaw's Eric Sorensen with 54 seconds remaining. It was Michalevich's first goal in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC). Jacob Kendall, a first-year Bachelor of Education Elementary student, earned his second assist of the game, and eighth point of the season. 

Only six seconds later, Erik Miller tacked on the visitors' third tally.

Miller (44)

Off a neutral zone face-off, the first-year Business Administration General student found himself in alone on Tmej and made no mistake on the backhand for his first goal of the season. It was also Miller's sixth point.

Kings goaltender Arik Weersink, who was named the RDP Player of the Game, had another strong outing. The Bachelor of Business Administration General Management student turned aside 34 shots for back-to-back road shutouts. Weersink was unbeatable on 78 shots over the two weekend games.

Weersink (31)

Curtis Wiebe received the award for the Clippers.

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings went one-for-four on the power play. The Briercrest College Clippers couldn't score on five attempts.

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings (4-1-1-0) will host the Concordia University Thunder (5-0-0-1) at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre on Friday, January 28 at 7 pm.

Longjohn (11)