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Red Deer Polytechnic Kings clinch first place

Kings will have a bye to the second round
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The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings hockey team has clinched first place in the league heading into the playoffs. (Photo by Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics)

The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings hockey team clinched first place in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference standings and earned a bye to the semi-finals in the playoffs.

Sitting at 16-6 with 33 points the Kings have two more games left in the regular season, both against Concordia University on Feb. 24 and 25.

The Kings clinched after beating NAIT twice over the weekend.

The first was a close 5-4 overtime win in Edmonton on Friday led by Ryland McNinch’s overtime winner less than a minute into the extra period.

The Kings also benefited from a two-goal performance by forward Hayden Clayton. He scored in the first and second periods to help lift the Kings over their opponent.

Nolan Doell and Liam Stalwick (shorthanded) also notched a goal each in the game. Goaltender Arik Weersink was strong between the pipes with a 32-save performance.

The next day Erik Miller scored twice in a 4-0 win at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre over NAIT in a rematch. Ryland McNinch and Regan Doig also scored in the victory.

The Queens also walked away with a pair of wins against the SAIT Trojans at home.

On Friday SAIT scored first in the opening period followed by three unanswered goals scored by Jailyn Bablitz, and two from Madison Sansom in a 3-1 win at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. Goaltender Tanya Disotell-Dunsmore led the way in net with 15 saves.

On Saturday the Queens led the way in a 4-0 win over SAIT with goals from Sansom, Brenna Reid, Molly Flynn, and Arilyn Toews. Goaltender Izzy Palumbo made 18 saves in a shutout performance.

Next up for the Queens will be against NAIT on Friday in Edmonton and at home on Saturday at 7 p.m.