The Big Valley Oil Kings hit the road on Dec. 20, heading to Tofield to face the Satellites – and came home limping after a 7-2 loss.
It was a hard night for the Oil Kings, who due to the nearness of the Christmas season had a thin roster to take the ice in Tofield, including a short defence roster.
This resulted in the Oil Kings having to put three forwards on the ice in the role of defencemen, according to General Manager Dustin Edwards, including one man who hadn’t played yet this season.
It was also the first time rookie goaltender Braden Redman suited up, holding down the Oil Kings’ fort for the first two periods before being replaced by seasoned goalie and the 2014-15 goalie of the year in the Battle River Hockey League, Chance Clark.
“Tofield had a big roster,” Edwards said. “They were hungry for the win.”
Edwards said after the game that in hindsight the team should have put Clark in the net after the first period, but he knew that Redman was nervous and he hoped the rookie would shake off the nerves. With Clark in the net for the third, though, the game shifted away from the Satellites, and the Oil Kings finally put themselves on the board with a 2:58 goal by Chance Abbott, and a last-seconds effort by Luke Boyer.
The Oil Kings will have a chance to even the score with the Satellites on Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 4 at 2 p.m. when the team comes to Big Valley.
“We’ll beat them with a full roster,” Edwards said confidently. “I’m not that impressed.”
The Oil Kings, with that Dec. 20 loss, sit in the middle of the five-team league, behind the Bonnyville Pontiacs and Tofield Satellites, and ahead of the Lloydminster Border Kings and Daysland Northstars.