Gavlas and Kendall named ACAC Second Team All-Stars
Red Deer, March 17, 2023 – Red Deer Polytechnic and the Athletics department are pleased to recognize Kings Ice Hockey forward Jacob Kendall and defenseman Parker Gavlas as they were named Second-Team All-stars in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) men's hockey division.
Kendall and Gavlas were both part of a Kings team that placed first in the conference and earned themselves a bye to the semi-finals where they defeated the Concordia University Thunder in three games.
Jacob Kendall (Forward)
Jacob Kendall is a six-foot-two forward from Camrose, AB and is in his third year of the Bachelor of Education-Elementary program at the Polytechnic. Before coming over to Red Deer two years ago, Kendall played for the Sherwood Park Crusaders and the Camrose Kodiaks out of Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) where he totaled 147 points (78G, 68A) in 164 games.
Since joining the Kings Hockey program back in the 2020/2021 season, he has scored 24 goals and has 21 helpers in 38 games which is good enough for over a point per game. At the end of the 2022/2023 regular season, his 15 goals led the entire ACAC.
Head Coach Trevor Keeper said he is a talented hockey player as he is a big, power forward with exceptional speed.
"He can be a game changer with his net drives and determination to score. He is also evolving into a real leader with our team and has been instrumental in bringing the group together not only at the arena but away from the ice surface as well. Kenny is a great person and his desire to keep getting better is exciting for the program."
After scoring four goals against the NAIT Ooks on November 19, he was awarded his second Kings Athlete of the Week in as many weeks.
Parker Gavlas (Defenseman)
Parker Gavlas is a six-foot-two defenseman in his second season with the Kings and is enrolled in the Business Certificate program at the Polytechnic. Hailing from Saskatoon, SK, Gavlas played in multiple junior leagues for multiple teams. His most successful offensive season was with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League in the 2019/202 season as he put up 26 points (5G, 21A). He would transfer to the University of Saskatchewan where he played for the Huskies under Head Coach Mike Babcock for two years before ending up in Red Deer in 2022.
When asked about what kind of player Gavlas is, Keeper explained he is a complete defender, through and through.
"Parker is an example of a player who is physical, hard to play against, great on the penalty kill, and will block shots. But he's also a smooth skater with good hands and a great shot, which makes him dangerous on our five-man offense and the powerplay. Though he's a first-year player with us, he is a bit older and a very mature player on the ice."
In Gavlas' first season in the ACAC, he totaled four goals and nine assists in 22 games with the Kings which placed him in fourth in defenseman scoring in the conference.
The Kings will take on the Ooks tomorrow night in Game 2 of the Championship Final in Edmonton at 6 pm.