Kings look for spark heading into playoffs

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

Doug Taylor Photo

 

The Wheatland Kings have lost five of their last six games to end the regular season, including a 7-4 loss at hands off the Cochrane Generals on Feb. 6 and an 8-4 setback to the Okotoks Bisons on Feb. 7.
Head coach Emilio Fuoco said the scores were not indicative of how the team actually performed.
“We played some really good hockey against two hockey teams that have been successful this year,” said Fuoco. “We actually played really well for the first five minutes (in Cochrane). We couldn’t find the back of the net and we gave them a long power play opportunity. They have an excellent power play and they took advantage of it. We just couldn’t recover.”
Lucas Jones, Kristian Ayoungman, Brennan Fuoco and Zach Meadows scored in the loss to the Generals.
In Okotoks, it appeared to be the same outcome as the night before as they hit five posts in the first five minutes, which seemed to haunt them the rest of the game, and as Fuoco mentioned in timely situations they didn’t have any luck or didn’t have the ability to finish.
Ayoungman, Brooker Pretty Youngman, Tyler Rivest and Cole Busslinger scored against the Bisons.
The Kings will tangle with the Banff Academy Bears in Round 1 of the playoffs. The Bears have had their number this year, having won the season series 3-1, and Fuoco knows the importance of keeping the players motivated as much as possible. “I’m hoping the playoff intensity kicks in,” said Fuoco.
“And that’s going to be my job to make sure that they stay at that level. Banff’s got some good players, they compete hard and they work their tails off. We just have to understand we have to match that work ethic. I think the preparations are there, we’ve changed some subtle things for each team we’ve played.”
The series is a best-of-three and Game 1 went Feb. 10 in Banff, while Game 2 is on Feb. 12 at the Strathmore Family Centre (8 p.m.). If necessary, Game 3 goes Feb. 14 back in Banff (4:30 p.m.).