Power play propels Kings

Tyler Lowey
Times Reporter

 

It’s hard to imagine a more exciting and entertaining way to blow the lid off a season opener.
Trailing 4-2 entering the third period, the Strathmore Wheatland Kings poured on four straight goals to ice the Okotoks Bisons 6-4 in Heritage Junior Hockey League action on Sept. 18 at the Strathmore Family Centre.
The Kings power play was nonexistent in the first two frames, but sparked them in the third with three goals.
“To win most games you need strong special teams,” said Kings’ head coach Shadoe Stoodley. “We spent quite a bit of time working on the power play this week and it paid off tonight.”
Matt Thompson stood in the corner with the puck during the Kings first power play in the third, surveying the scene and waiting for the play to develop.
Ryan Grasdahl went streaking to the net when Thompson hit him on the tape. Grasdahl wasted no time, depositing the one-timer in front to bring the Kings within a goal at the five minute mark.
The Bisons (0-2) couldn’t stay out of their own way in the third as they continued to march into the sin bin.
With 10 minutes remaining, former Bison Brooker Pretty Youngman came steaming down the left wing, driving hard to the net. Bisons’ defenseman Christian Justice hauled Youngman down by his neck, sending the Kings back to the man advantage.
Newly-named captain and local product, defenseman Brenden Moore unloaded a bomb from the point, beating Bisons goaltender Draven Rees five-hole.
The Kings were having no trouble getting into the slot inside Bison territory in the third period.
Less than a minute later, Jaks Faris waltzed into the slot and unloaded a wrister over the glove of Rees top corner. Feeding from the momentum shift, Faris let out a couple fist pumps towards the crowd.
With Justice off for roughing, Keenan Ogle iced the Bisons with another one-timer from the middle of the slot, courtesy of Kody Hammond and Cole Busslinger.
“The boys showed a lot of character tonight. We had lots of determination and never gave up,” said Moore, who scored four goals and 10 points for the Kings last year.
Busslinger scored the first goal of the season for the Kings and finished with two assists.
“It’s nice to get off to a good start to our season and now we can build from here,” said Busslinger, who credits his success to the work of his line mates Ogle and Hammond.
The Kings were baffled by the Bisons last season, going 0-4 and were out scored 26-13.
Bradley Tingey and Ogle finished with a goal and an assist, while other Kings scoring came from Thompson and Hammond with two assists each and Youngman with one assist.
There would have been no third period comeback if it weren’t for the strong performance turned in by Kings’ netminder Brady Hoover.
Hoover let a few goals in early: a rebound wasn’t cleared away but instead batted in, there was a one-timer out in front and a puck might have rolled down his back after going off the crossbar, but he stood tall when needed – just ask Bisons forward Robbie McLean.
In the third period alone, McLean was stoned three times by Hoover’s glove and clanged another shot off the crossbar.
“I guess I was just snake bitten to start the season,” said McLean, who has sniped 23 goals and 50 points over the past two seasons with the Herd.
Hoover also robbed McLean when the Bisons launched a two-on-one in the first period. McLean’s winger shot low, Hoover kicked the rebound right onto McLean’s stick, but dove back in time snagging the would-be goal out of mid-air. Hoover turned away 38 Bison shots.
“Hoover stood on his head, but our defensive zone still needs work. We are running around back there and losing guys,” said Stoodley.
For Stoodley and his staff, it was their first Junior game behind the bench and they were excited with their result.
The Kings now prepare for a pair of weekend matchups. First, the Cochrane Generals (2-0) come to town on Sept. 24 (8 p.m.). The Kings hit the road to the Banff Recreation Centre to take on the Banff Academy Bears (0-2) the following day.