Ooks 1 Queens 0
EDMONTON — The RDC Queens struggled to create scoring chances Friday and fell 1-0 to the NAIT Ooks in the first game of a best-of-three Alberta Colleges women’s hockey semifinal.
Camille Trautman made 27 saves for the Queens, who were outshot 28-23.
“We couldn’t generate enough speed through the neutral zone coming out of our own end,” said RDC head coach Bob Rutz. “With our forecheck we got a few scoring chances off turnovers, but we didn’t play a full 60 minutes. At best, we were very average tonight and they (Ooks) wanted it a little more than we did.”
The second game of the series goes today at 5 p.m. at the Red Deer Arena. If the Queens win, a third and decisive game will be played Sunday at NAIT, starting at 6:30 p.m.
“The good news is if we decide to be good tomorrow (today) we have a good chance to come back in the series,” said Rutz. “But we have to get more pucks to the net and win more puck battles if we want to get back to NAIT. It’s do-or-die tomorrow.”
Kings 5 Clippers 3
CARONPORT, Sask. — Mike Salmom made 21 saves and the RDC Kings got goals from five different players Friday in a 5-3 Alberta Colleges men’s hockey victory over the Briercrest Clippers.
RDC player of the game Riley Simpson scored once and added two assists for the Kings, who got additional markers from Jeff Archibald, Doug Jones, Logan Sceviour and Riley Point. Ricky Seidel, Jacob Baribeau and Luke Robitaile replied for the hosts.
Briercrest netminder Connor Dobberthien made 35 saves while the Kings were assessed seven of 13 minor penalties.
“The guys played really well in the second and third periods,” said RDC head coach Trevor Keeper. “We started slow after an 11-hour bus trip that included a meal stop.”
The clubs meet again today.
Kodiaks 82 Kings 66
LETHBRIDGE — Matt Johnson netted 15 points in a losing cause as the RDC Kings suffered just their third loss of the Alberta Colleges men’s basketball season Friday, falling 82-66 to the Lethbridge Kodiaks.
Lloyd Strickland dropped in 12 points for the 16-3 Kings, while Robert Pierce and Ashaunti Hogan each scored 11. Pierce also contributed 11 rebounds.
Dominic Coward paced the winners with 25 points and 18 boards as the Kodiaks pulled to within three points of front-running RDC.
The Kings host the ACAC playoffs Feb. 28 to March 2.
Kodiaks 74 Queens 31
The RDC Queens fell flat against the Kodiaks in Alberta Colleges women’s basketball play, losing 74-31.
The winners got an 18-point performance from Elizabeth Lowry and 10 from Karli Brakes. Kaitlin Bracko led the Queens with six points.