The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings and Queens are both one win away from becoming Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) hockey champions.
The Kings beat the NAIT Ooks 2-1 on the road meanwhile the Queens took care of business at home also against NAIT 4-2 in the ACAC finals.
With the pair of victories the Kings and Queens both lead their best-of-five series 2-0.
The Kings, who finished the regular season as the number-one team in the league, got a massive win on the road after an important second period.
After NAIT opened the scoring nearly six minutes into the second, Kings’ Hayden Clayton tied the game a few minutes later.
Following the midway point of the frame, Kings forward Nolan Doell helped them grab the lead on the powerplay.
That’s all they would need as the Kings held on in the third period for the win. Goaltender Arik Weersink had another great game for the Kings making 37 saves on 38 shots.
On the women’s side, the Queens had a productive night on offence in front of the home crowd.
Queens’ sniper Avery Lajeunesse scored the lone goal of the first period before NAIT tied it midway through the second.
Later in the middle frame, Queens Brenna Reid helped reclaim the 2-1 lead on the powerplay. Two minutes into the final period Jailyn Bablitz scored and less than a minute later Arilyn Toews notched the Queens fourth goal of the night.
Later on NAIT scored to decrease the deficit to two goals but that was as close as they got.
Goaltender Tanya Disotell-Dunsmore made 32 saves in her second consecutive start.
Both the Kings and Queens will be back in action on Friday for Game 3. The Queens will have the opportunity to close out the series in Edmonton at 7 p.m. and the Kings will get the same opportunity on home ice.