U18 Oil Kings take on Picture Butte in semi-finals

By Cole Parkinson
Taber Times

The U18 Taber Oil Kings were the last Central Alberta Hockey League team in Taber still fighting for a banner. After receiving a bye in the first round, the U18s had to wait and see who would emerge between Picture Butte and High Country.

Picture Butte finished fourth in the division with 17 points while High Country also finished with 17 points and placed fifth. Butte would win Game 1 5-3 and Game 2 4-2 in order to advance to the semi-finals against Taber.

Taber’s regular season top five in terms of points were Kayden Kress (45 goals, nine assists), Jasper Sidam (16 goals, 14 assists), Konnor Wiebe (11 goals, eight assists), Ayden Umbach (10 goals, eight assists), and Jude Tams (four goals, 10 assists). Ty Dorin back-stopped Taber in 11 games and posted a record of 8-2-1 with a 3.91 goals against average and a 0.890 save percentage. Avery Remfert was in net for five games and went 5-0 with a 2.60 goals against average and a 0.940 save percentage.

The U18s playoff run kicked off on Friday night in Taber as the series was a two-game total goals. Taber would start off fast with three unanswered in the first as Sidam, Wiebe, and Umbach all found the back of the net. TJ O’Grady and Kress would each draw an assist in the period. Taber would extend that lead to 4-0 early in the second period before Butte would score two of their own. The two teams would trade a goal each before the end of the period. Evan Untereiner had both Taber goals while Sidam added two more assists, and Carter Kerkhoff and Blake Rabusic had one.

Butte would open the scoring at 12:51 in the third but Kress answered back quickly. The visitors would add a late goal to make it 6-5 as Taber took the first game. Remfert got the start in net and made 31 saves on 36 shots.

With a one-goal lead heading into the deciding game, Taber travelled to Picture Butte on Sunday. Taber would take the first lead in the period thanks to Tate Nakashima as it ended 1-0 in favour of the Oil Kings. Kerkhoff and Tanner Fletcher had the assists. The home team would explode offensively in the second as they scored four compared to Taber’s two as the game saw Butte head to the final frame up 4-3. Wiebe and Kress were the Taber goal scorers as Kerkhoff, Remfert, and Sidam had an assist each.

In the third, Butte would add two more while Taber scored once and the Blades won 6-4 and took the series 11-10. Sidam scored the Taber goal while Kress and Kerkhoff had the assists. Remfert was back in net and made 49 saves on 55 shots.

Picture Butte advances to the final and will take on Lethbridge.