Quite simply, the Tweed Oil Kings refused to lose.
Down 2-0 in their best-of-five Western Conference semi-final playoff series in the Northern Premier Sr. A Hockey League, the Oil Kings capped a thrilling three-game rally by defeating the hometown Smiths Falls Rideaus 5-3 in the fifth and deciding game Wednesday night in Smiths Falls.
Tweed now meets the Deseronto Bulldogs in an all-local conference final. Winner will meet the survivor of the Eastern Conference final between the North Dundas Rockets and Manotick Mariners in the NPHL championship series. All series are best-of-five affairs.
OIL KINGS 5, RIDEAUS 3
Spotting the home team a 1-0 lead, the Oil Kings scored the next four goals, then hung on for the series-clinching victory. Smiths Falls battled back to within one goal but Tweed iced the decision with a late empty-netter.
Jacob Vreugdenhill (2), Jakob Brahaney, Isaac Brown and Douglas Little supplied the Tweed tallies. Dylan Ingram chipped in with two assists.
In net, Matt Loveys posted a 37-save performance for the winners while his teammates tested Smiths Falls goalie Dallas Slack 32 times.
Three stars were: 1. Vreugdenhill; 2. Smiths Falls captain Brett Costello (one goal, one assist); 3. Loveys.
A contingent of Tweed fans who made the mid-week trek to Smiths Falls to support the Oil Kings got a thumbs-up on the team’s Facebook page:
“A huge thank-you to everyone who made the trip, the boys could absolutely feel the love in the building and it meant everything.”
Words of praise were reserved for the players:
“Couldn’t be more proud of the group and the way they pulled together to get the job done. The team showed heart, grit and determination when it mattered most.
“Hats off to the Rideaus for an incredible series. They’re a class organization and one heck of a hockey team.”
Smiths Falls captured the regular-season pennant in the Western Conference and the Oil Kings were teetering on the brink of elimination after falling behind 2-0 in the second round playoff series. But the Oil King comeback was ignited with a big 7-4 Game 3 road win last weekend followed by a tense 6-5 overtime victory in Tweed to set up the deciding contest.
Deseronto rolled to the conference final after grounding the Durham Hawks 3-1 in the other Western semi-final set.
Dates and times for the conference final have yet to be announced; check the NPHL website for details.
