By MorinvilleNews.com Staff
The Morinville Kings faced another tough outing Saturday night, falling 9-2 to the Bonnyville Pontiacs at the Morinville Leisure Centre. The loss leaves the Kings with a 1-10-0 record and two points after 11 games, firmly anchoring them at the bottom of the North Central Hockey League (NCHL) standings.
Despite a promising start, with Cole Gupta opening the scoring midway through the first period with assists from Fred Coutts and Wayne Gatza Jr., the Kings could not maintain their momentum. Bonnyville responded with three rapid goals, taking a 3-1 lead by the end of the first period.
The Pontiacs dominated the second period, scoring four more times, including two shorthanded goals. While Morinville managed to add a second goal from Parker Oystrek, assisted by Gatza Jr. and Gupta, the deficit continued to grow. Bonnyville closed out the game with three more goals in the final frame, led by Brenan Rosychuk, who scored a hat trick and tallied five points on the night.
Playoff Hopes Narrow
With five games remaining in the regular season, the Kings still have a mathematical chance at making the playoffs, but the path is steep. The NCHL playoff format for 2024-2025 allows the top eight teams to compete, and Morinville sits in last place with two points, trailing the Westlock Warriors (six points) and the seventh-place Bonnyville Pontiacs (eight points).
To claim the final playoff spot, the Kings would need to win all five of their remaining games, pushing their total to 12 points. At the same time, Bonnyville would need to lose their final six games, and Westlock could collect no more than four additional points. Even under these circumstances, tiebreakers such as goal differential or head-to-head records could come into play.
The Kings’ next game is against the Camrose Bruins on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 8 p.m. at the Morinville Leisure Centre. Fans and players alike will be watching closely as the team fights to keep its slim playoff hopes alive.
