The men's hockey team continues their postseason this weekend with a second-round matchup against The Augustana Vikings. The team is coming off a series win over the Briercrest Clippers. The Ooks fell behind 1-0 in round one but clawed their way back to force a game three. Drae Gardiner's late-game heroics in the dying moments of game three sent the Clippers home packing. The Ooks will look to carry that momentum and desperation into this weekend's action. Head Coach Scott Fellnermayr is exceptionally proud of his squad's resilience in Briercrest.
"I am very proud of our team. The way the boys handled a tough Briercrest team to come from behind in games two and three was awesome and showed leadership from many guys. I have so much respect for Briercrest, and they were relentless with their pressure, and our guys matched that intensity. I'm not surprised knowing the character we have in our room," said Fellnermayr.
The Ooks have struggled against the Vikings this season. The club's winless in four regular-season meetings, dropping three tight affairs before tying the regular season finale two weekends ago. Multiple Vikings players have raised their level of play when facing the defending ACAC Champions, NAIT Ooks, this season. Forward Jacob Biensch has scored nearly half his season point total against the Ooks. He's racked up three goals and four assists in four games played. Vikings Forwards Conrad Phillips has accumulated five points, while Jake Gudjonson has been an apple tree, with five assists in the season series. The Ooks will look to contain those players if they wish to have any success this weekend. Keaton Holinaty led the Ooks in goals with three in four games, while stud forward Dylan Stewart led the team in points with five. Fellnermayr knows how crucial Stewart and his linemates are to the Ooks' success.
"Stewart just has the puck on a string lately. He creates chances out of nothing and has the courage to make plays in big situations. His linemates, Josh Lazowski and Bryce Osepchuk, both scored big goals in games two and three," said Fellnermayr.
After three straight games in Briercrest, the Ooks will have the opportunity to play in front of their home fans for game two on Saturday night. The Ooks average nearly an extra goal per game when playing at home this season. Fellnermayr is happy to have the chance to play at home at least one more time but is grateful for the experience in Briercrest.
"I think the guys bonded over the trip to Briercrest because it was such a difficult environment to play in. We are very excited to get back to home ice on Saturday in front of our own fans," said Fellnermayr.
The Ooks kick things off on Friday for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop in Camrose. The Ooks then return home for game two on Saturday night. If the series needs a winner take all game three, it will be played Sunday afternoon in Camrose. Stay up to date on the ACAC website, and you can catch all the action on ACAC streaming viewing services.