Oil Kings lose 5-4 in Shoot Out to Kamloops
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Edmonton, AB - The Oil Kings had the number one ranked team in the CHL on the ropes but could not deliver the knockout blow as they fell 5-4 in a shootout on Wednesday. It was the Oil Kings second shoot out loss of the season as their record moved to 5-3-1-2.
The Blazers JC Lipon showed why he is the WHL's leading scorer as he gave Kamloops the early lead. Oil Kings goaltender Laurent Brossoit made a pair of huge saves on the power play before Lipon picked up a rebound in the slot and made no mistake for his tenth goal of the year.
TJ Foster responded for the Oil Kings with a power play goal late in the first. The Oil Kings leading goal scorer buried a one timer coming off the half wall for his ninth of the season. Kamloops would regain the lead after scoring a late power play marker in the final seconds of the first period.
Wruck then scored the only goal of the second as he showed off some great hands - toe dragging a defender, stickhandling through the slot and tucking home a backhand to tie the game 2-2. Wruck's goal was his third of the season and was an early candidate for the WHL plays of the week. Momentum started to shift to the home side as Kamloops goaltender Cole Cheveldave fought off several Oil Kings chances.
Despite early pressure it was Kamloops who tallied a 3-2 goal off the stick of Rob Trzonkowski midway through the period. Edmonton showed some grit just minutes later as Mitch Moroz battled for position in front of the net and picked a Keegan Lowe shot out of the air for his first of the 12-13 campaign. The power play tip was the Kings third game tying goal of the night.
Henrik Samuelsson then got his stick on a shot from Curtis Lazar to tip home his sixth of the season late in the game. The Oil Kings third power play goal of the game gave the Kings their first lead of the night with 1:59 left in the third. Kamloops would take a two minute penalty 15 seconds later but the Blazers would to defy the odds as Lipon notched a short handed goal with just 1:24 remaining.
Edmonton controlled play for the remainder of the game and through the overtime period but could not beat Cheveldave. The Kamloops goaltender would finish the night with 34 saves and two shootout stops to score the bonus point for the visitors. The Edmonton power play ended the night 3 for 9 despite the late shorthanded goal while the penalty kill held the potent Kamloops offense to 1 for 3 with the man advantage.
PHOTO GALLERY
The Oil Kings are be back in action Friday night as they welcome the Moose Jaw Warriors to Rexall Place in a rematch of the 2012 WHL Eastern Conference Championship series. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
Tickets are available at OILKINGS.CA, at the Rexall Place Box Office or at Ticketmaster outlets. For more information on season seats or flex packs, call 780-414-GOAL (4625). All games this season will be broadcast live on the TEAM 1260 and streamed live at WHL.ca. The Oil Kings 2012-13 season is presented by JLT, Insurance & Risk Management.
