In battle for top spot, Ooks down Kings at RDC

Red Deer, AB – It was a game of momentum swings. The NAIT Ooks scored four consecutive times and then the RDC Kings responded with three of their own. An empty netter provided the visitors a 5-3 win at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.

After Dylan Stewart gave NAIT a lead at 5:31 of the first period, only ten seconds later Tyler Robertson added a second marker.

In the middle frame, NAIT's Curtis Roach went to work. First he struck at 8:10 on the power play and then with only 2:39 remaining in the stanza, Roach added his second, providing the Ooks with a 4-0 lead.

Ryley Smith started the Kings' scoring in the third period. After Smith beat Ooks goaltender Jordan Papirny at 9:19, Scott Ferguson connected on the power play just over a minute later. Shortly after, Tyrell Mappin brought the home team within one.

As time wound down, Kings Head Coach Trevor Keeper pulled goaltender Arik Weersink for the extra attacker, but the home team couldn't pull even. Jake Mykitiuk picked up a loose puck in his defensive zone and skated the length of the ice to find the open net. The Ooks wrapped up a 5-3 decision.

Papirny made 28 saves. Weersink turned aside 19 shots.

Ryley Smith was selected the Collegiate Sports Medicine Kings Player-of-the-Game. Curtis Roach earned top honours for the Ooks.

NAIT went one-for-three on the power play. RDC clicked once out of eight times.

With the win, the NAIT Ooks improve to 32 points. The Kings are next with 28.

The Ooks (17-2-0-0) will entertain the Kings (13-4-2-0) on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 6:00 pm.