It was an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference series for the ages.
Not one game in the best of three men’s hockey semifinal between the RDC Kings and MacEwan University Griffins was decided in regulation and two of three games needed double overtime.
In the series finale Saturday in Edmonton, Griffins captain Cam Gotaas ended a marathon night with a 3-2 victory.
He fired a shot off the rush from the right hashmark at 4:22 of the second extra frame and beat Kings goalie Troy Trombley, who had 55 saves on the night.
Tough pill to swallow. @rdckingshockey fall 3-2 to @MacEwanHockey with 9:20 left in 2nd OT. All 3 games in the Best of 3 went to extra time, with two in Double OT. Maybe the best series I’ve been a part of. Congrats to 5th year Dman, @tanner_butler. Player of Game in his last. pic.twitter.com/NC8D3jnCme
— RDC Kings Hockey (@rdckingshockey) March 17, 2019
RDC opened the night with a power play tally just 2:47 into the contest by Dylan Thudium, only to see the Griffins respond 1:21 later.
MacEwan earned 2-1 advantage midway through the second, but again the Kings power play struck with a vengeance. On a five-on-three, fifth-year defenceman and captain Tanner Butler buried to tie the game with 3:58 left in the second period.
The home side outshot the Kings 8-2 in the first overtime and 13-7 in the second. Griffins goalie Marc-Oliver Daigle stopped 47 shots in the win.
With the win, the Griffins advance to the ACAC Men’s Hockey Final.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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