Weekend to forget

Times Editor  

 

After losing three straight games, including a pair this past weekend, the Wheatland Kings are going back to the drawing board.

The local junior-B team suffered a 4-3 loss in High River on Nov. 16, before returning home the next night, losing 8-4 to Okotoks.

It was a tough pill to swallow for the Kings, who were on a three game winning streak before the skid.

“I think that’s what we have to do – forget about (this past weekend),” said Murphy. “We’re learning that you can’t rely on the line of Lonnberg, Fox and Bergmann to carry the team. You need to get the secondary scoring going.

“We’re certainly learning that you can’t give up 50 shots a game and expect good things to happen.”

Despite being one of most prolific scoring teams in the league, Murphy said defence has been a concern over the course of the first two months of the season, specifically during the losing streak.

The Kings were outshot in both games over the weekend, surrendering 88 shots against.

Wheatland started the weekend taking a 2-0 lead over the Flyers early in the second period, before surrendering the lead with just nine seconds left in the frame. The Kings re-gathered the lead with a power play marker in the third period, before High River capitalized on a pair of power plays. 

According to Murphy, the officials played a major role in the game, giving High River numerous 5-on-3 power plays.

“It was without question the worst refereeing I’ve seen in my coaching career,” said Murphy. “It was horrible – they were totally unpredictable. Even the High River coaches had no explanation and a lot of apologies, even though they had nothing to do with what referees show up.”

As a result, the Kings faced a couple of suspensions and injuries heading into their home game versus Okotoks. 

“Okotoks is a good team and we were competing with (injuries) and suspensions,” said Murphy. “We decided we’d run three lines and go at them and for the most part we did. They scored three goals (quickly) in the second period and we couldn’t recover from it.”

The Kings are now preparing to host the Airdrie Lightning on Nov. 24 (8 p.m.) at the Strathmore Family Centre, before traveling to Banff the following day (3 p.m.).