Oil Kings earn OT win, trail series 2-1

For the second season in a row, the Big Valley Oil Kings embarked on their 2012 playoff journey against the Daysland North Stars.

It’s a best-of-seven series, and with Daysland finishing second spot in the BRHL standings, they would get the home-ice advantage.

The Kings travelled to Daysland last Wednesday night for an exciting Game 1 of the series. Daysland, always being a tough barn to play in, proved to be the case again in Game 1. With penalty trouble plaguing the Big Valley team’s offensive efforts, they fell 6-3 on the road to start the series.

Chance Clark got the start in net, and turned away 32 shots in the loss.

Friday night, the Oil Kings travelled back to Daysland for Game 2. It was an offensive outburst for both teams, and after the final buzzer, Daysland proved to be the better team with an 8-5 win.

Oil Kings forward Jeff Smitten, who had struggled during the regular season after a concussion injury, turned things around in Game 2, leading the Kings with two goals in the loss.

After going down 2-0 in the series, the Kings headed back to Big Valley for Game 3 on Saturday night. It was the first of two home games at the Agriplex, and the place was packed with fans from all over the county. The Kings came out firing on all cylinders and it was rookie Dave Sissons getting the early lead at 15:38 of the first period on a pass from Brett Muhlbach.

Jeff Smitten would prove his playoff excellence yet again, and gave the Kings a two-goal lead only five minutes later on a great dish from forward Aaron Lamson. It was the first time the Kings had a lead in the series thus far, and with Daysland notching one at 6:13 of the first, they would keep that lead of 2-1 going into the second frame.

The second started much like the first with the Kings throwing everything they had at Daysland.

Defenceman Landon Jones made it 3-1 with a power play goal early in the period and Danny McSween extended the lead to 4-1 on the second power play goal of the period.

With penalty trouble coming the way of Big Valley, Daysland answered with two power play goals of their own and made it a 4-3 game.

It was a hard-fought third period, but with 4:16 to go Colin Zimmer of the North Stars would tie the game up at 4-4. With it all square at the end of regulation they headed to OT, and the fans were excited.

The overtime excitement was quickly tarnished with a controversial slashing call on Big Valley’s Brett Muhlbach at the 9:14 mark of OT.

Having to kill the potent Daysland power play proved tough but successful, and a minute after the kill it was Dave Sissons putting one home to give the Oil Kings the OT win and bring the series to a 2-1 Daysland lead.

Goalie Chance Clark stood tall and turned away 37 shots in the win.

The series resumes tonight at the Big Valley Agriplex for Game 4. Game time is 8:30.

Game 5 will go Friday night in Daysland and Game 6 brings the series back to Big Valley Saturday night at 8:30 p.m.

NOTES:

— The Game 3 win was the first time in seven seasons the Oil Kings have defeated Daysland (including exhibition, regular season and playoffs).

— Jeff Smitten, Dave Sissons, and Kent Friedly lead the Kings in playoff scoring with five points each.

— Forward Danny McSween was named the BRHL’s most gentlemanly player of the year. He is the first Oil King to win a BRHL League award.