The Big Valley Oil Kings are back on the winning side of the scoresheet after a narrow 5-4 win against the Daysland North Stars.
The Dec. 5 faceoff took place in Daysland and saw the home team dominate in the first period, keeping the Oil Kings away from their net and sliding one past the Oil Kings’ Chance Clark.
The second period started much the same as the North Stars widened the gap, bringing it to 2-0, but the Oil Kings retaliated, with Chance Abbott and Jeff Clazie scoring two goals against the host team in less than a minute and a half of play.
With a goal in the last three minutes of the second, the North Stars led the game 3-2, widening the gap early in the third with a fourth goal.
After that, though, the period belonged to the hardy Oil Kings, who ground out another two goals, courtesy of Abbott and Matt Kinnunen.
However, it was Abbott, who in the last minute of play, pulled the Oil Kings ahead of the North Stars to edge out the home team with a 5-4 win.
“Our goalie, Chance, has been outstanding,” general manager Dustin Edwards noted. “He’ll probably be in again this weekend.”
This is the second win for the Oil Kings while in Daysland, one of the hardier teams of the league. However, this year Edwards said he believes it will be the new entrants – Lloydminster and Bonnyville – who will be the team to beat.
“(Lloydminster) only had 10 guys at the last game in Daysland and they beat them 7-2,” Edwards said.
It will be a battle of the Kings in Big Valley this Saturday and Sunday as the Oil Kings have their first home games of the season, and host the Lloydminster Border Kings.
The Oil Kings have faced the Border Kings once so far this season, losing in a close 4-3 match.
The Oil Kings are currently right in the middle of the standings in the five-team Battle River Hockey League, with the Lloydminster Border Kings in second and the Bonnyville Panthers in first. Daysland and the Tofield Satellites are in fourth and fifth respectively.
Game time in Big Valley on Saturday, Dec. 13 is 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m.
Tickets for adults are $10, and students $2.