Submitted by Brent Forster, Big Valley Oil Kings
The Big Valley seniors played the top two teams in the Battle River Hockey League on the weekend and walked away with one point.
That point came courtesy of a 4-3 overtime loss Friday night against the league-leading Tofield Satellites. Tofield rolled into the Big Valley Agriplex with a 7-2- 1 record and faced an Oil Kings’ team with a depleted blue-line.
On Saturday night at Daysland, the Oil Kings lost 8-5 in a penalty-filled game.
At home Friday, Big Valley got goals from Dave Sissons and former Stettler Lightning snipers Mitch Finkbiner and Brett Ouellette. The Satellites came back to tie the score three times and force overtime.
In overtime, there were good scoring chances at both ends. The Oil Kings’ Derek Muhlbach rang a shot off the post, as he beat the defenceman wide on the rush.
At 1:03 of overtime, the Satellites’ leading point producer, Brett Holmberg, was left all alone in front and tucked in a backhander to finish the contest.
On Saturday, the Oil Kings travelled to Daysland to face the Northstars.
As opposed to a week ago, he Oil Kings outshot the Northstars, but it was another penalty-filled game. A total of 17 power plays emerged from the penalty parade. For Big Valley, Derek Muhlbach had two goals, and Denver Wik contributed a goal and two assists. Ouellette and Shawn Shackleton each scored a goal, defenceman Landon Jones bagged four assists and Justin Tremmel assisted on two goals.
The Oil Kings’ social media following has grown. Follow Big Valley on Twitter (@BVOilKings) and on Facebook (Big Valley Oil Kings Hockey).
For their last game in 2012, the Oil Kings head to Hardisty to face the Stampeders on Friday at 8:30 p.m.
The Oil Kings’ next home game will be Friday, Jan. 4, when the Daysland Northstars are back in Big Valley.