Ooks Lost Close Game to Kings
The NAIT Ooks host the first-placed Red Deer Kings in the first of back-to-back meetings.
In the first, the Ooks came out of the gates flying. They made things uncomfortable for the Kings defenceman, winning races to the loose pucks. The Kings quickly settled in and started to generate some chances for themselves. Dylan Stewart got the Ooks on the board first, banging home a loose puck in the crease. The Kings were quick to respond, capitalizing on a bad Ooks change. Kings forward Jacob Wozney found Hayden Clayton for a partial breakaway, and he made no mistake snipping one past the glove of Ooks goaltender Ryley Osland. In the ladder half of the frame, the two teams traded chances. Near the end of the opening period, Dylan Stewart wrapped home his second of the night to regain the lead for the club. In the dying moments, Nolan Doell buried home a loose puck to knot things at two heading into the first intermission.
In the second period, the physicality started to ramp up. Neither team could create any good looks for themselves, as both teams did a superb job keeping most of the shot opportunities to the outside. At the midway point, the Kings broke the tie on a gorgeous shorthanded tally from Liam Stalwick. Nolan Doell made a deke between the legs before finding Stalwick, and he fired it past Osland. That marked the Kings seventh shorthanded goal of the season, which is tops in the ACAC. Things started to open up, and Ryley Osland was forced to make multiple saves to keep it a one-goal game. At the tale of the second, Ooks forward Eric Lacombe jumped to a loose puck and slid it past the outstretched Kings netminder, Arik Weersink. Like the first period, Red Deer scored a back-breaking goal in the final minute. Clayton re-directed home his second of the evening on the powerplay to give the Kings a one-goal lead heading into the break.
In the third, the Ooks pressed for the equalizer, which took less than five minutes. Ooks defenceman Jared Brock made a gorgeous stretch pass to find Keaton Holinaty, who busted in off the right side and made a perfect shot under the blocker of Weersink. The Ooks continued to generate for themselves off the rush. Both teams were playing at a fast pace, trading chances. Late in the third, Eric Lacombe was sniffing for his second of the night, but Weersink made a miraculous save with his helmet to keep things knotted. In the final seconds, Ooks forward Colin Schmidt broke in off the left side but was stopped with the left pad of Weersink, and they needed extra time to solve this one.
In overtime, it took less than 40 seconds for the Kings to capitalize on an Ook turnover as Chance Longjohn fed Ryland McNich, who fired one past the diving Osland. The Kings take the opener 4-3; they pick up their 15th win and extend their win streak to five games. The Ooks travel to Red Deer for the rematch tomorrow at 7:00 p.m.