Special teams help RDP Kings down SAIT Trojans

Brent Forster – Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics

Red Deer, AB – In Saturday's rematch between the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings and SAIT Trojans, special teams played a role once again.

The Kings connected once with the extra skater and killed off all of their penalties en route to a 6-2 home win.

At 17:48 of the first period, the Kings struck with the man advantage. Defenceman Brennan Davis one-timed a shot on the power play that Trojans goaltender Bradeon Fleming couldn't corral. The puck fluttered behind Fleming and Tucker Scantlebury deposited his sixth of the season.

Thirty seconds later, the home team went up a pair.

Kyle Salaway made a long range pass that sprung Erik Miller on a breakaway. Miller, a Business Administration General student, cut in from the right side and beat Fleming on the backhand.

Five minutes into the middle stanza, the Trojans pulled within one. With two players down in front of Kings netminder Arik Weersink, Braydon Jenkins picked up the loose puck and scored on the backhand. Liam Freeborn and Tanner Klassen recorded the assists.

Shortly after, the home team restored its two goal cushion. Jacob Kendall released a wrist shot from the slot that squirted behind Fleming and Scantlebury cashed in to push the Kings ahead 3-1.

With 6:15 left in the second period, Liam Freeborn snapped it from the right circle that beat Weersink on the stick side, pulling SAIT within one.

At the conclusion of a Kings penalty kill, North Star Sports Kings Player of the Game Scantlebury found himself in alone on Fleming – made a few moves and recorded a hat trick high on the blocker side, lifting the home team to a 4-2 edge before the end of the frame.

About midway through the third period, RDP's Brennan Davis sniped his first of the season from the top of the right circle.

Easton Haygarth tacked on the Kings' sixth goal with 2:47 remaining in the game. The first-year Business Administration student pounced on his own rebound and recorded his first goal and fifth point of the season.

Braydon Jennings earned the recognition for the Trojans, totaling a goal and an assist.

Weersink turned aside 34-of-35 shots (0.944%).

Fleming made 19 saves (0.760%).

The third place Red Deer Polytechnic Kings (8-3-2-1) will play the fifth seed University of Alberta Augustana Vikings (4-7-2-0) on Friday, February 25 at 7:30 pm.

On the same evening, the fourth place SAIT Trojans (6-6-1-1) will host the seventh place Portage College Voyageurs (2-10-0-0) at 7 pm.