Kings inch closer to clinching

Times Editor

 

After winning two out of three weekend games, the Wheatland Kings ultimately won the right to control their playoff destiny.

After losing a tight battle to Stettler to open the weekend, the local junior-b team defeated Mountainview and Ponoka, improving their record to 16-17-1-2 on the season.

The Kings sit in third in the South Division and need to sweep their final two games in order to remain in that position.

“We’re in complete control of our own destiny right now,” said Kings head coach Doug Murphy. “If we win our next two, we’ve got third place wrapped up. Given the run we had with injuries and the losses, that’s right where we wanted to be.

“There is a lot to be determined and it will come down to the last game of the weekend”

According to Murphy, the first three teams earn an automatic first-round bye, while the fourth and fifth place teams battle in a best-of-three series. The winner of that series would play the first place team, while the second and third place teams would meet.

However, with the fourth place Coaldale Copperheads facing the lowly Banff Bears, the Kings need to win both to solidify third place.

“We feel really good about where we are,” described the coach. “We had a tough game Saturday night (against Mountainview) that have given us difficulties before and we managed to work our way through that and come out with the result we wanted (3-2 win).”

According to Murphy, the Kings lost a tough 4-2 battle on Friday night, won at home against Mountainview, then defeated Ponoka 10-2 on Sunday afternoon.

The team is now gearing up for a tough road game against their potential first-round opponent, the Cochrane Generals on Feb. 3 (7:30 p.m.).

“They’re very well coached,” said Murphy of his next opponent. “They are very consistent in the way they play, they have a lot of very experienced players and they have a very winning tradition.

“They know what it takes to win and they do it.”

The Kings will close out the regular season on Feb. 4 (8 p.m.) when they host the Blackfalds Wranglers at the Strathmore Family Centre.