NAIT Ooks men’s hockey team gets ready for playoffs

The NAIT Ooks men’s team finished at the top of the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference with 22 wins and six losses for the season. The team will have a bye for the first round of playoffs getting them straight to the semifinals, which will take place in the NAIT rink on the weekend of March 10-12. The Ooks are 12-2 on home ice.

However, much of the championship team from last year has changed since last season with 15 first year players on the team. With a lot of first-year players, head coach Tim Fragle says he’s been pleased with how his veteran players have shown leadership throughout the season.

“They have stepped up already this season with a lot of our first years having to play more minutes than years past,” said Fragle. Fragle also says he knows he will need more than just his veterans playing major roles. “We are gonna need everyone to contribute.”

The Ooks will play the lowest ranked team that wins the quarter-finals, so it could be SAIT, Augustana, or Concordia.

Some of the key players to watch out for are:

• Trace Elson: leads the league in points
• Tanner Dunkle: leads the Ooks in goals
• Brendon Jenson: has a .930 save percentage

Click here for more information on the playoff structure.

Comments