The men’s hockey team lost their home opener 6-5 against the Red Deer Kings in a thrilling back-and-forth finish on Saturday night, dropping to 1-3 on the year.
The team began their season with a three-game road trip starting last weekend on Oct. 18 and 19 against the Briercrest Clippers. The Ooks struggled to keep up, losing 5-1 and 9-3. They finished their road trip by facing off against the defending Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference (ACAC) Champion Red Deer Kings, who also were 0-2 coming into the night. The blue and gold came out on top with a 3-1 win, setting the stage for a crucial rematch as the two teams faced off at NAIT arena in the Ooks’ home opener.
Right from the drop of the puck, it was clear both teams were motivated to beat each other. Neither team gained an edge early with the shots about even halfway through the first period.
The Ooks found themselves on the powerplay after a tripping penalty by the Kings. However, it wouldn’t end well for the blue and gold. While trying to force a pass from their end, NAIT turned the puck over in the neutral zone and caused a two-on-one for Red Deer; Kasey Hiemstra beat the Ooks goalie, McCoy Bidwell, glove side for the first goal of the game.
Less than two minutes later, the Ooks responded. Ty Whitford stormed down the left side and fired the puck off the crossbar, coming within an inch of scoring. But luckily for the Ooks, the puck bounced out to the right face-off circle and onto Kenyon Nyman’s stick for an easy tap-in to tie it.
A late hit from NAIT defenceman Jared Brock in the period’s final minutes sent Red Deer to the powerplay looking for their next goal. But Ty Whitford stole the puck in his end and went forehand-backhand for a shorthanded goal to give the Ooks a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.
The teams came out in full force for the second period, scoring two goals a piece—with both of Red Deer’s coming as shorthanded goals—to send the game to the third period with the Ooks leading 4-3.
It was smooth sailing for NAIT in the first 10 minutes of the third before an odd-man rush from Red Deer tied the game once again.
NAIT would once again respond two minutes later. Jackson Hassman brought the puck into the slot, shot bar down blocker side for his second goal of the night to give the Ooks the lead.
However, it wasn’t meant to be for the blue and gold.
The Kings came back to tie it late in the third period off a slapshot from the point. The game went to overtime, but only 30 seconds in, the Kings fired a cross-crease one-timer that just snuck past McCoy Bidwell to give them the win.
NAIT played well enough at points to win the game, but in the end, the three shorthanded goals cost them the win. Having lost three of their first four games, the Ooks are tied for last place with the Concordia Thunder and have an allowed 21 goals–the most in the ACAC.
“We just need to tidy things up,” Head Coach Scott Fellnermayr said in a post-game interview with the Nugget. “Three shorthanded goals against is not something you ever want to see … We’ve got the youngest team in the league, so [the team’s play] is not as bad as it seems.”
“We’re playing the best two teams in the league to start the season [Briercrest and Red Deer] and I think we’ve played good in those games … but we’ve got to get a lot better.”
Despite the rough start to the year. Fellnermayr is still confident his team can play better than what their record suggests.
“We had our looks, and that’s part of the little things. We have to capitalize when you get those looks. We could have buried this game, and it’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it’s better to do that in October than late in the season.”
The team still has plenty of time to figure things out, with 20 games ahead of them before the playoffs. But, the pressure to turn things around will be on them as they prepare for eight games in November before the holiday break.
The Ooks will return to the ice on Friday, Nov. 1, against the Portage Voyageurs.
