Chase Thudium, Dylan Thudium and Scott Ferguson combined for 13 points in the Red Deer College Kings’ dominant victory over the Concordia University Thunder in game one of their quarterfinal series.
The line led RDC to an 8-1 victory over the Thunder in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference action at the Penhold Multiplex Friday night.
It took the Kings more than 15 minutes to crack Thunder goaltender Tanner McCorriston in the first game of the three-game series. Dave Heath scored the opening goal, with Austin Hunter and Landon Kletke picking up the assists.
Ty Mappin scored another for the Kings before the end of the frame, batting home a rebound in midair. Lynnden Pastachak and Ben Williams had the assists on the goal.
The floodgates opened for the Kings in the second period, where they score five; two from Ferguson and Chase Thudium each and one from Dylan Thudium.
The only goal to beat Kings goaltender Troy Tremblay in the game came off the stick of the Thunder’s Phil Dillon in the second. Tremblay stopped 16 of 17 shots.
King Jake Wozney scored the only third period goal, giving the Kings an 8-1 victory.
“The guys were prepared and played like it was playoff hockey,” said Trevor Keeper, Kings head coach. “No matter what the score is, in the playoffs you need to do a lot of the little things habitually. If you do that, you’ll get rewarded.”
Keeper said Ferguson and the Thudium brothers play with a lot of chemistry.
“They were using their speed and moving the puck to each other. They weren’t play one-on-one, they were creating two-on-ones all over,” said Keeper.
Ferguson said he has known played beside the Thudiums for a long time Since he was a kid.
“We’re always communicating with each other and having that bond on off days really helps,” said Ferguson.
“Everything was going right it seems. The last few games we had a lot of opportunities and couldn’t score, but tonight things came together and clicked,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson said the Kings need to come out hungry in game two.
“They’re going to be coming out a lot harder than they did tonight and they’ll want to push back, especially because they’ll be at home. We just have to cone out with a good effort,” he said.
Keeper said the next game will be a difficult one because Concordia’s homt rink in Edmonton is Olympic-sized.
Game two of the series is Saturday in Edmonton. If necessary, game three will be at the Penhold Multiplex Sunday.
