Interlake Lightning alumnus Karson King has excelled in his first year in the Western Hockey League.

The 18-year-old forward has put up 11 goals and added nine assists for 20 points in 49 games of action with the Swift Current Broncos. King and the Broncos have just one game left in their regular season, and if they win, they’re in the playoffs.

The Warren product describes what he is looking forward to in this huge contest.

“I’m excited to see what the atmosphere is like at the rink from our fans. The fans are a big part of our team, and when they come out and support us, it’s pretty cool to see how loud it gets in there. Getting that much closer to the playoffs, everybody is trying to come out and support us, and that’s fun.”

Swift Current is currently one point ahead of the Calgary Hitmen for the final playoff spot with both teams having just one game left to play. The Broncos are set to take on the Prince Albert Raiders tonight with the hopes of securing a spot in the postseason.

King says he has very little playoff experience in his career so far, noting an opportunity to play in a best-of-seven series would be wonderful. With the way their season has gone, King believes a postseason appearance would be a huge accomplishment.

“It’s been a rollercoaster of a season, that’s for sure. There’s been a lot of ups and downs throughout the year,” says Kings. “What I’ve learned most this year is it's about building confidence. Once you find that confidence, there’s nothing holding you back from being the best that you can be. That’s what I’ve taken away from this first full year.”

The Warren product spent his last full season with the Interlake Lightning program, where he scored 31 points in 44 games. The forward describes the most important thing he learned during his time in Interlake.

“I learned to always enjoy the game, no matter what,” King explains. “Obviously, we didn’t win too many games with Interlake, but we always knew how to have a good time with each other. I also learned how to deal with the highs and lows of hockey. That’s helped me get to where I am today, and I have to give credit to my coaches from the past.”

King says whether they make the playoffs or not, the main thing he wants to continue improving on is his skating ability. He and the Broncos close out their regular season tonight in Swift Current at 6:00.