Kings on the edge after losing Game 4 of Round 2 playoff series

By John Watson Local Journalism initiative Reporter

After a disappointing game four in their playoff series against the Okotoks Bisons, the Wheatland Kings are on the edge, now one game away from being kicked from the playoffs. 

The series is now 3-1 in favour of the Bisons. Kings head coach Ron West is feeling like it’s not just the odds that are stacked against him.

“It’s time to go. Between the reffing – I’m sick of the four-man reffing system. It hasn’t worked. I’ve never seen so many four-minute calls, it’s just terrible and I don’t even know half of them, I don’t even see what they’re seeing,” said West.

“It’s taking our momentum away instantly when we’re getting a two and then a four and then a two and then a four.”

Throughout the first and third periods in game four, the Kings spent more than half the periods with a man on the bench, penalty killing.

West said as good as his team is at penalty killing, there’s only so much the boys can do when they’re so often working at a disadvantage – particularly against this opponent. 

“It’s so hard to keep pushing on that when they’re pushing back on us and I’m not getting any help from the referees at all. It was one-sided for the first period. They tried to make it up in the second, but it’s a little late by then,” said West.

“With these guys, five on four, they’re going to capitalize quite often. They’re very good, they move the puck very well and we have a very good penalty kill but you can only be so good when the ice is tipping all one way.”

Game three of the series ended similarly to the fourth, though West does not blame the referees for his team “coming out flat” during their previous game. 

“We just watched it tonight. It took till the third period to figure out we have to hit against a team like this. We’ll push forward from here,” West explained after game three. 

“We need to push back hard and let them know that they are in for a fight. We want to take this to a game six.”

West explained during game one, which was played in Okotoks, the Kings were in control for the duration of the game, coming out of the gate strong. 

In the second game, which was played the following day, despite taking a loss, the Kings were neck-and-neck with the Bisons. 

Now, West said it’s all up to his team to pull themselves back together and give it their all, right to the end.

“Find your heart, find your battle, find your compete level, find everything you’ve got and play it to the end. Make sure you play 60 minutes of hockey and know that at the end of that one, you have another game to play,” said West.

“You can coach systems, you can coach many things, but you can’t coach intensity. I give them the life to go and push them hard and they need to go. Now, it’s up to them. It’s all in their hearts now.”

Game five of the best-of-seven will be played Feb. 25 in Okotoks.