Jaxon Burkosky-Gilmour takes his place among the Kings for the singing of O Canada. The initiation player took to the ice with the Kings during their pre-game warm up Saturday night. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
by Stephen Dafoe
The Morinville Senior AA Kings third game of the North Central Hockey League season was their home opener against the Devon Barons. The club used the opportunity to hoist the 2013-2014 pennant to the rafters, one they earned by defeating Devon 4-3 in the final game of provincials last spring.
After a 6-3 win over Slave Lake Oct. 18, the Kings entered their second weekend with a repeat 6-3 win over Whitecourt Friday night.
Saturday night’s home-ice opener saw both the Kings and Barons entering the rink with two wins under their belts. In the end the Kings fell 4-2 in that contest.
The Kings struggled for scoring opportunities during the first period, grabbing five opportunities to the Barons’ 16. But Curtis Ronaldson’s goaltending prevented all but one of the Barons’ pucks from finding the back of the Kings’ net.
Entering the second period with a 1-0 deficit, the Kings, tired from their road trip to Whitecourt the previous night, could not make any of their 22 opportunities ripple the Barons’ mesh. Their opponents increased their goal tally by two to start the final frame with a 3-0 lead.
Although the team came back in the third with two goals, their second with 1:31 left on the clock, it was not enough to counter the four the Barons had accumulated by the end of the frame.
The Kings next game is a rematch against Whitecourt at home Nov. 1. Game time is 8:30 p.m. The club take to the road for a Nov. 2 game in Edson.
