The Dauphin Kings opened a five-point lead over the Waywayseecappo Wolverines with a pair of wins over their West Division rivals.

Cordell Coleman recorded his first career hat trick and Brayden Dube added a pair in a 5-2 Kings victory, Friday in Waywayseecappo.

On Saturday in Dauphin, Luke Morris netted the winner with 26 seconds remaining to lift the Kings to a 3-2 win.

Kaden Bryant scored seven seconds in when he intercepted a pass and skated in on a breakaway, deking to his forehand. Nick Braun made it 2-0 just 35 seconds later when he rang a shot in off the goalpost.

The Wolverines tied the game with a pair of goals 50 seconds apart early in the third, setting the stage for Morris’s late-game heroics.

Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley liked the way his team played on the road, Friday night.

“It’s a tough arena to play in. They’re a good team. They work real hard. Well coached. They’ve got the record they have for a reason. They play real well,” he added. “But I thought we played fast. We pushed them and definitely got some pressure on the forecheck. We got to the net, got to the paint and got some second shots. I thought it was one of our best 60-minute efforts that we’ve had in a while. We’d rate it up there with the 3-0 win up in Swan (Feb. 2.).”

As for Saturday’s quick start, Hedley said it was nice for the opposition to chase the game for a change.

“Obviously, the first shift we got two goals in the first minute of the period. It would have been nice to continue. We had some chances later on in the period and even in the second. We got back on our heels after some penalty kills,” he said. “You’ve got to give Wayway credit. They came hard at us. They pushed us, tied the game. The good things about it is we bent a little bit, didn’t break and found a way to get a big win.”

With the season winding down, the Kings cannot take anything for granted. As Hedley pointed out, every team they play is desperate to make the playoffs.

“We’re obviously, in a good position. It doesn’t mean anything. We’re looking forward to the challenge. Our guys are focused in now. They’re focused on the little details and playing well away from the puck. And they’re looking forward to the challenge this week, for sure,” he said.

After playing Neepawa on Monday, the Kings and Wolverines will hook up for two more games, this weekend, beginning Friday in Dauphin with the regular season finale in Waywayseecappo on Saturday.