Kings blow the doors off the pre-season
By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter
Tyler Lowey Photo
“Feels great to finally play in some games after a few weeks of practices and training camp,” said 2000-born winger Kyle Bracko.
The Kings laid waste to the expansion Lomond Lakers Sept. 7 at the Family Centre blue arena with a 9-1 victory.
The rout began two minutes in when local product A.J. Kusu dumped in a shot from the left corner of the blue line. After taking a pair of bounces, the puck squeaked past Dustin Drake.
The Lakers quickly answered with a clapper on the rush, which whizzed by starting netminder Cole Bright.
From that point on, it was all Kings in front of a jam-packed crowd.
Kusu’s former teammate within the Wheatland Athletic Association (WAA), Issac Benoit, led the charge with one goal and four assists.
“Benny is a really special player. He’s in a spot where he can have a really big year for us. When you get him out on the same line as Luke (Muenchrath) and Kyle (Bracko), it’s a really fun group of 18-year-olds to watch,” said Kings Head Coach Joel Robinson.
Muenchrath finished off a brilliant no-look backhand pass from the corner by Benoit midway through the first frame, as Brenden Moore, Bailey Filkohazy, Eric Sandum and Kusu’s second rounded out the scoring.
“I think we did everything right tonight,” said Robinson. “We got the pucks in deep on their big defencemen like I asked and forced them to make plays which resulted in turnovers.”
For the Sandums, it was a family affair, as Eric’s cousin suited up for the Lakers.
“It was awesome to come back here and play against old friends and in front of family members,” said Wacy Sandum. “Being from Hussar, it’s awesome to see so many recognizable faces.”
Sandum played five years in the WAA system and captured the first midget provincial championship two years ago with the Chiefs alongside Benoit, Kelton Travis, Muenchrath and Kusu.
Sandum graduated the WAA program following the provincial title and currently attends Lethbridge College, where he studies agricultural sciences. Last year he played recreational hockey, but said that it wasn’t cutting it for him and that he still missed the action. When the Lakers announced they were joining the Heritage Junior Hockey League season this year, he jumped at the idea of playing meaningful hockey again while keeping up his studies in Lethbridge.
For the rest of Sandum’s teammates, it could be an indication of what might be a long season in Lomond.
“It’s never an easy thing to start up a team in a Junior B league, but they’ve done well with what they have and are in a process of starting to figure out their lineup,” said Robinson. “We’ve all been there and I was there five years ago when the Kings came back after a year away from the league. I know what it’s like and it’s never an easy process, but they will be fine in time.”
Former WAA netminder Riley Stovka helped keep the Lakers at bay in their inaugural game. The local product entered in relief for Bright and stopped all 11 shots he faced.
Stovka and Bright’s performance certainly isn’t making anything easier on the coaching staff. The Kings were up to as many as eight goalies in camp last week, as Indiana Kelly returned from Junior A camps elsewhere in the country and will be one of the names honing in on the No. 1 job.
“We’ve talked to all our goalies and they understand that we haven’t solidified a starting job and we definitely need a No. 1 this year to take us in the right direction,” said Robinson. “As of right now, Bright and Kelly are doing their jobs well in camp but we also have a lot of good talent here. We are going to take our time and not make any decisions too fast.”
The Kings made other roster moves following their annual intrasquad Black and White game. Of the returning players, defencemen Jake Johnston and Jaden Doiron were not brought back, along with forward Ethan Allen.
Doiron was one of the younger players on the Kings last year, and he supplied a pair of goals and nine assists in 34 games as a 16-year-old. The Kings said he wanted to focus on his high school education in Calgary this season.
Working in a couple healthy scratches, the Kings backed up their strong performance and flattened the High River Flyers 6-1 the following evening at the Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex in what was a rematch of the best-of-three first round series last spring.
With only practice sessions remaining on the Kings schedule before the start of the regular season – along with a few more cuts – the trick now is going to be figuring out how to turn the pre-season success into success in the regular season when the saves, goals and wins count for real.
The Kings first opportunity to pick up meaningful points in the standings goes Sept. 21 when they take on the Okotoks Bisons in the front half of a home-and-home series at Murray Arena in Okotoks. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. Tentatively, the Kings are scheduled to turn around and host the Bisons the following evening at the Strathmore Family Centre at 8 p.m.