Improved play yields no results

Posted on: Staff Writer

From edition: November 29 2019 Strathmore Times

By Mario Prusina, Times Editor

The Wheatland Kings gave up the go-ahead goal with 5.6 seconds left in the third period en route to a 3-2 loss to the Cochrane Generals on Nov. 24 at the Strathmore Family Centre. Despite playing a better team game, the club still lost their third game in a row. Doug Taylor Photo

The Wheatland Kings gave up the go-ahead goal with 5.6 seconds left in the third period en route to a 3-2 loss to the Cochrane Generals on Nov. 24 at the Strathmore Family Centre. Despite playing a better team game, the club still lost their third game in a row.
Doug Taylor Photo

After dropping a pivotal game versus a division rival to open the weekend, the Wheatland Kings came home and put forth a solid effort in hopes of picking up a pair of points.
Unfortunately, that solid effort yielded no points, and the Kings extended their losing streak to three games.
The local junior-B opened the weekend with a 4-1 road loss in High River on Nov. 22 before returning home to battle Cochrane two days later.
After tying the game 2-2 in the third period, the Kings took a bench minor for too many men late in the game and Cochrane converted the game winner with 5.6 seconds left.
“Honestly, it’s nothing that the team did tonight, I think the guys played great,” said Kings head coach Joel Robinson after the home loss. “I hate to call out the officiating in the league, but that was one of the games where we got the bad end of it.
“That was a good hockey game – back and forth and then a too many men call where we don’t even touch the puck … every time I’ve seen a too many men call, it has always been (when you) touch the puck and it’s in your possession. Apparently, he sees the game a different way.
“Then at the end of the game there when they scored, their guy was a foot offside, but there is no call. It’s frustrating because you have such a good effort from your boys and to have it taken away from something like that … from a coach’s standpoint it’s so frustrating.”
The Kings will now travel to Stettler on Nov. 29 to face the Lightning before returning home on Nov. 30 (8 p.m.) to face Red Deer.
According to Robinson, the team has to stick with the process.
“That’s the thing sometimes with hockey, you play the right way, but the pucks aren’t going in the net or you’re just not getting the bounce,” he said. “You have to battle through it, it’s part of the adversity that we have to go through.
“We have to play a full 60 … we have to tighten the defensive lapses and we’ll be right where we need to be. It is hard to score on us when all five of us are back in the zone. You don’t see a lot of goals scored against us when we’re in the D zone playing defensive hockey.”