CALGARY — The Red Deer College Queens punched their ticket to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference women’s hockey championship with a sweep over the SAIT Trojans.
They beat the Trojans 2-0 on Saturday at SAIT Arena to take the best-of-three semifinal in two games.
They now move on to play the No. 1 seeded NAIT Ooks in the best-of-five final starting on Friday.
“Had a bit of a slow start, but remained patient and slowly took over in the third. We stuck with the process and found a way to get the job done again,” said Queens head coach Bob Rutz in an email. “We have a tough task ahead of us but are confident that we can play at even a higher level to try and bring it home. So proud of this team and what they have accomplished.”
Game 2 remained deadlocked into the third period when Megan Jones final broke through at 10:49. The Queens didn’t have to wait much longer for the insurance as Kaley McMurtry scored 41 seconds later to give the Queens a two-goal lead.
Summer Roberts stopped all 27 shots she faced for the shutout in her first playoff appearance.
Cheynne Eagle stopped 33 of the 35 shots fired her way in the SAIT net.
RDC (13-7-4) won the season series with the Ooks, going 4-2-2, however, due to NAIT (18-3-3) having the better overall record they have home ice advantage for the final. Game 2 is Saturday at the Red Deer Arena with Game 3 in Edmonton on March 13. If needed Game 4 is March 14 in Red Deer with Game 5 in Edmonton. No times have been announced yet.
• The RDC Kings hockey team (15-13-0-3) swept their three-game weekend series with the Portage College Voyageurs (1-29-0-2) in dominant fashion.
After winning 10-3 in Penhold on Friday, RDC beat Portage 8-5 on Saturday and 7-3 on Sunday in Lac La Biche.
There were eight different goal scorers for the Kings on Friday with Joel Topping, Blair Mulder, Doug Jones, Ryan Hoult, Tanner Butler, Jordan McTaggart, Mike Marianchuk and Riley Point all getting in on the action. Mike Salmon made 31 saves on 36 shots for the win.
On Sunday, Topping, Point and Connor Patchett all scored twice while Jones added a single goal and Kraymer Barnstable stopped 34 of 37 shots for the win.
The Kings wrap up their regular season on Tuesday in Edmonton against the MacEwan University Griffins (20-7-1-3).
If they win, they leap frog over the Keyano College Huskies (14-12-2-4) into fifth place and will play the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings (19-10-1-2)in the first round of the playoffs. If they lose, they will play the Griffins in the first round.