Oil Kings see playoffs begin for handful of teams 

By Cole Parkinson
Taber Times

While the vast majority of Taber Oil Kings teams were starting playoffs, the U18 squad rounded out the regular season over the weekend.

U11 Tier 3

After finishing fourth in Tier 3 Blue, Taber is preparing for a first-round matchup against Irvine. Game 1 goes Saturday in Irvine at 4:45 p.m.

U11 Tier 5

With the U11 Tier 5 Oil Kings finishing in fourth place in their division, they draw Brooks Blue in round one. Game 1 goes Saturday in Rolling Hills as Taber hosts Brooks at 11:15 a.m. The series shifts to Brooks on Sunday with puck drop at 12:15 p.m.

U13

The U13s were on the ice for the first round this past weekend as they took on Raymond. Game one saw the Oil Kings hit the road for an offensive battle. Despite a late comeback, Taber was unable to close the gap as they fell 6-5. Cage Holcek led the way with two goals and an assist, Cooper Ross scored twice, Ryden Baker had a goal, and Hudson Ilczynski and Chason Sekua had an assist each. Rhett Wright got the start in net and made 36 saves on 42 shots.

The series shifted to Vauxhall on Sunday, and the visitors cruised to an 11-3 victory to win the series. Baker had a goal and an assist, Holcek and Sekura scored, and Tyrion Ewing, Hudson Ilczynski, and Nate Antosko contributed with an assist. Kohen Ilczynski was in net and made 26 saves on 37 shots.

Raymond now faces Cardston in the semi-final, while Coaldale takes on Foothills on the other side of the bracket.

U15

The U15 Oil Kings also competed in the first round of the CAHL playoffs as they took on Lethbridge White. Game 1 went on Saturday in Lethbridge, and the home team was able to score a late third-period goal to take it 5-4. Samuel Hathaway had a goal and an assist, Jaxson Tychsen had two assists, Blake Untereiner, Mitchell Kimoto, and Bentley Howg all scored, and Benjamin Williamson notched an assist.

The Oil Kings will be looking for a win by two goals on Friday in Game 2. Puck drop goes at 7 p.m. in Warner.

U18

The U18 Oil Kings wrapped up the regular season with a home game in Vauxhall against Kainai on Friday. It was all Taber as they cruised to a 17-3 win. Ethan Volk scored five goals and had two assists, Jude Tams scored four and had two assists, Tate Nakashima scored and had five assists, and Julian Woordman had a hat trick and two assists. Lincoln Wiebe had two goals and three assists, Konnor Wiebe had two goals and two assists, Kellon Schalk had a pair of assists, and Carter Kerkhoff, TJ O’Grady, and Skylar Jensen had an assist each. Avery Remfert made 31 saves on 34 shots in the Taber net.

At the end of the regular season, the U18 Oil Kings finished third in Tier 3 Silver with a 10-4-1 record and 22 points.