Despite win, Kings ousted at U-18 West Regional

WARMAN, Sask. – Despite a win in their final game at the under-18 West Regional, the Thunder Bay Kings 2022-23 campaign has come to a close.

Thunder Bay began the four-team event with a 7-0 loss at the hands of the Saskatoon Blazers.

Kings’ netminder Sam Keene was peppered with 50 shots against in defeat.

Next came a 5-2 setback versus the host Warman Wildcats in their second game.

Evan Lachimea provided a pair of shorthanded markers in the contest, while Travis Smith faced 26 attempts in a losing cause.

Wrapping up competition, Thunder Bay completed play on a winning note by defeating the Winnipeg Wild 4-3 in a shootout.

Samuel Sargent and Peter Forestor staked the Kings to a 2-0 first period lead, before the Wild countered with two of their own in the second stanza to knot the affair at 2-2.

After Matteo Veneruzzo put the Hockey Northwestern Ontario title holders back on top in the third, Winnipeg drew level with a power play goal to send it to extra shots.

In the shootout, Morgan Henderson supplied to only marker to give the Kings the victory.

Keene made 28 saves in regulation, and then turned aside all five attempts he faced in the additional attempts to earn the triumph for Thunder Bay.

Photo credit: James Mirabelli