Oil Kings Weather The Storm In 4-3 Win
0 Comments
Edmonton, AB - Curtis Lazar led the way with a pair of goals and an assist as the Oil Kings took a 4-3 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Sunday. The win raises the Oil Kings record to 18-5-2-3 as they remain in sole possession of first place in the WHL's Central Division.
Lazar opened the scoring five minutes in as he took a pass from TJ Foster and buried a low wrister from the point. The power play goal snapped a recent cold streak for the Oil Kings top prospect and marked his ninth of the season.
Dylan Wruck would make it a 2-0 game as he snapped a shot from the top of the circle past Rimmer at the midway point of the first. Griffin Reinhart dug up a loose puck off a Michael St.Croix rebound to feed Wruck for the big shot. Wruck is currently on an eight game point scoring streak with five goals and eight assists over that span.
Edgars Kulda brought the nearly 7000 at Rexall Place to their feet with a highlight reel goal early in the second. The Latvian import played the puck off his skate, made a deke and buried his third of the season. Kulda leads all Oil Kings rookies with seven points in 2012-13.
But the Hurricanes would answer back with three unanswered in the second. A 5 on 3 power play goal from Graham Hood and a power play marker from Jaimen Yakubowski made it a 3-2 game with seven minutes to play in the period.
Yakubowski would then add his second goal of the game as he was awarded a penalty shot just minutes later. The shot was initially stopped by Tristan Jarry but took a hop and trickled over the shoulder of the Oil Kings net minder. The Kings would regain the lead prior to the end of the second as Lazar pounded home off a rebound for his second of the game.
The Oil Kings would take the 4-3 lead into the third period and proceed to settle the game down after a wild second frame. Edmonton out shot Lethbridge 7-3 in the final frame and 35-22 on the night. The Kings record improved to 18-5-2-3 on the season as they remain in sole possession of first place in the WHL's Central Division.
Jarry improved his record to 7-3-0-0 with a 1.50 GAA and a 0.936 save percentage . The Oil Kings power play was 2 for 6 on the night while the penalty kill only held the Canes to 2 for 5 with the man advantage.
The Oil Kings next home game is one of the biggest of the year! The 6th annual Dodge Teddy Bear Toss presented by Global Edmonton and Shaw TV is set for Friday, December 7th against the Calgary Hitmen. It's another key Battle of Alberta matchup as the Oil Kings and Hitmen continue to battle atop the Central Division standings. Tickets are available now and you can also take advantage of a Ticket & Bear Combo for just $20!
Here's a special Teddy Bear Toss PSA from our own Griffin Reinhart, Stephane Legault and Mitch Moroz.
VIEW VIDEO / PURCHASE TICKETS
Moroz tallied the 2011 Teddy Bear Toss goal with four seconds remaining in the 1st period. The Edmonton Oilers draft pick sparked a flurry of nearly 8,000 bears from the fans at Rexall Place as the Oil Kings skated to a 2-1 victory.
2011 TEDDY BEAR TOSS GOAL / PHOTOS
Puck drop for this holiday tradition is set for 7 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.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Season Seat Holders are reminded that the Never Waste A Ticket program has changed. You may redeem any unused tickets from the start of the season through Friday, December 27th by Monday, December 31st. You'll be able to redeem second half unused tickets from January until the end of the regular season. It is recommended that fans drop by the Ticket Office at TELUS Field during regular business hours to avoid the game day rush. You can also call an Oil Kings customer experience representative at (780) 414-GOAL (4625) to choose your games and arrange for a speedy pick-up on game day.
LIVE BLOG RECAP
FIRST PERIOD
20:00 – After shutting out the 'Canes in their previous meeting this year, and blanking the Kootenay Ice on Friday, Tristan Jarry makes his second straight start between the pipes for the Oil Kings for the first time this season. Cody Corbett, Griffin Reinhart, T.J. Foster, Curtis Lazar and Stephane Legault comprise the rest of Edmonton's starting lineup. Ty Rimmer starts in net for Lethbridge.
16:47 – The Oil Kings are all over the 'Canes in the early stages, outshooting them 3-0 and dominating the play in the offensive zone. No goals to show for the pressure, however.
16:20 – The first penalties of the game come as a result of a scrum in the Oil Kings crease. Lethbridge's Brady Ramsay gets four minutes for roughing while Edmonton's Ashton Sautner takes two minutes for roughing, sending the Oil Kings to the power play.
14:27 –GOAL! Long overdue for a tally, Lazar gets a pass from Foster in the high slot and fires a low wrist shot through traffic past Rimmer for his ninth goal and 18th point, on the power play, to give the home side an early 1-0 advantage.
14:09 – More physical play after the whistle, as Edmonton's Klarc Wilson is sent off for four minutes (roughing) and Lethbridge's Graham Hood heads off for a pair (roughing) to give the 'Canes their first PP of the game.
12:09 – Yet another successful penalty kill from the Oil Kings as they continue to maintain the WHL's best PK percentage, which sat at 92.9% heading into today's contest.
10:16 – GOAL! After Rimmer flashes the leather to rob Michael St. Croix's scoring attempt, Dylan Wruck beats him a few seconds later with a wrist shot under his left pad, with St. Croix setting the screen, to give the Oil Kings a 2-0 lead. Lethbridge uses their timeout.
7:35 – Macoy Erkamps of the 'Canes gets called for boarding after sending Edmonton's Cole Benson hard into the wall right in front of the Lethbridge bench, sending the Oil Kings back to the PP, looking to extend their 2-0 lead and 9-4 advantage in shots. Benson gets some attention on the bench but stays in the game.
0:53 – The Legault-Foster-Lazar line continues to cause havoc in the 'Canes zone and Rimmer somehow pounces on the loose puck on a mad scramble in the crease to keep it 2-0.
0:00 – More post-whistle rough stuff sends Edmonton's Edgars Kulda and Ramsay off for two minutes apiece. The Oil Kings lead 2-0 in goals and 16-6 in shots through a dominant opening 20 minutes. The teams will start the second period playing four-on-four.
SECOND PERIOD
15:46 – David Musil takes the first penalty of the middle frame; big shock, it's a roughing minor keeping with this game's trend, and the 'Canes are on the PP looking to break their goose egg.
13:42 – GOAL! Just as Musil's penalty expires, Lazar steals the puck in the corner of the Lethbridge zone and finds Kulda streaking to the net. The Latvian makes a vicious deke to the backhand and roofs his shot to put the Oil Kings ahead 3-0.
12:32 – Reinhart roughs up Remi Laurencelle in the Oil Kings corner, knocking the Lethbridge forward's helmet off and sending the Edmonton captain off for checking to the head.
11:54 – Just 42 seconds later, Musil is sent off for checking from behind, giving the 'Canes a two-man advantage for the next 1:23.
11:20 – Lethbridge cuts the Oil Kings lead to 3-1 with a nifty tic-tac-toe tally from Daniel Johnston to Russell Maxwell to Hood 34 seconds into their five-on-three power play.
10:29 – The teams go back to even strength as Jaimen Yakubowski is sent off for slashing. It'll be four-on-four for 35 seconds, followed by an Edmonton PP for 1:25.
7:14 – With Brandon Baddock off for roughing, the 'Canes cut the lead to 3-2 as Yakubowski pounces on a loose puck and lifts a shot high past a diving Jarry for the PPG.
6:43 – Stephen Shmoorkoff and Ramsay drop the gloves and go toe-to-toe for the first scrap of the game. Shmoorkoff gets an early shot in before the linesman cuts the fight short. Each player goes off for five minutes.
5:40 – With the Oil Kings on the PP, Corbett hooks Yakubowski on a shorthanded breakaway, giving the Hurricane a penalty shot. Jarry makes the initial save on the penalty shot but the puck soars into the air and deflects off the goalie's back and in to make it a 3-3 game.
4:22 – Edmonton will have 14 seconds of five-on-three before a 1:46 man advantage after Jamal Watson goes off for goaltender interference.
3:34 – GOAL! A Reinhart power-play blast from the point creates a juicy rebound for Lazar, who pots his second goal of the game to put Edmonton back up 4-3. Goal number 10 on the season for the highly-ranked 2013 NHL Draft prospect.
0:00 – A wild middle frame concludes with the Oil Kings leading the 'Canes 4-3. Edmonton is still way ahead in shots, leading 32-19.
THIRD PERIOD
9:49 – After a wild second period, the first half of the final frame is relatively uneventful. No penalties and only one shot on game from each side as the Oil Kings maintain their one-goal cushion at the TV timeout.
9:20 – Albin Blomqvist leaves his feet to crush Kulda in the Oil Kings zone and is subsequently sent to the box for a charging minor, putting the home side on the PP.
1:08 – The 'Canes pull Rimmer in favour of an extra attacker.
0:54 – Lazar, gunning for his hat-trick goal, is tripped in the neutral zone to give Edmonton a power play. Rimmer returns to the Lethbridge net.
0:00 – The Oil Kings close out their seventh victory in their last nine games, holding on for a 4-3 win over the 'Canes as Jarry finishes the game with a 21-save performance. The teams tussle following the final whistle but soon retreat to their respective sides.
