Cougars win on strength of Jamie King hat trick

Justin McCaffrey, Mount Royal Cougars Sports Information

Calgary, AB – Thanks to a Jamie King hat trick, Mount Royal defeated the UBC Thunderbirds 6-3 Friday night at Flames Community Arenas. King (3), Olstad, Hauptman and Fiddler scored for the Cougars. Vetteri, Bardaro and Manning each scored for the Thunderbirds.

There was no love lost between the Cougars and Thunderbirds during their second go-around this season. Both teams played with a chip on their shoulder to start the game and the penalties came early and often.

Emerson Hrynyk, in his first game back from a nagging injury, tried to set the tone early with a booming body check. However he was called for boarding and the Thunderbirds went on the power play.

On the power play, the Cougars were able to clear the puck twice but the Thunderbirds persisted. Luke Lockhart slid a slick through the crease to Austin Vetteri who chipped it past Cam Lanigan in the Cougars' goal.

Mount Royal had two power plays of their own but despite their exceptional passing, were unable to beat Matt Hewitt. After one period of play UBC led 1-0.

Jamie King got the Cougars on the board at the 2:34 mark of the second when he walked out of the corner and ripped home a bullet into the top right corner tying the game.  

Less than two minutes later the Cougars took the lead when Tanner Olstad scored on a fantastic solo effort. Olstad came hard off the sidewall and deked around two defenders before sliding it far side past an outstretched Hewitt.

On the same shift after the goal, Olstad took a careless high-sticking penalty sending the Thunderbirds back to the power play. Anthony Bardaro made the Cougars pay just 13 seconds into the man advantage. Bardaro went uncovered in the slot and ripped it top corner, to tie the game at two.

The Cougars seized the lead back once again when star rookie Connor Rankin notched his first CIS point in his first CIS game. On a 3-on-2, Rankin pumped the brakes and cut to the middle unleashing a heavy wrist shot. The puck trickled through Hewitt and Jarid Hauptman was there to bang in the Cougars' third goal of the night.

In what was becoming a common theme, the Cougars squandered another led just two minutes later. Neil Manning was left unmarked and walked in from the point. Manning ripped a bomb over the shoulder of Lanigan to tie that game at three.

The Cougars finally got their power play rolling in the third period when Jamie King scored his second of the game. Tyler Fiddler made a nice move out of the corner and threw the puck to the front of the net. King was waiting there with his stick on the ice and redirected it home to give the Cougars their third lead of the night.

This time Mount Royal would not relinquish the lead as Tyler Fiddler sealed the game with a great effort for an empty net goal to make it 5-3.

UBC pulled their goaltender again to try and close the gap. Jamie King stole the puck at his own blue line and made his way down to center where he chipped a slow backhand into the net for his third goal of the night.

Mount Royal improves its record to 10-5-2 and open up a three point lead on UBC in the standings. UBC falls to 9-6-2 with the loss.

These two sides will go again tomorrow night at Flames Community Arenas. Puck drop is set for 6:00pm.