Historical comeback victory for Oil Kings caps off the perfect weekend

February 21, 2010

LETHBRIDGE, AB- What a weekend for the Edmonton Oil Kings!

It’s been a tough season for the Oil Kings, but they were able to make a little team history on Sunday in Lethbridge with a 6-4 victory over the Hurricanes capping off a successful weekend.

It marked the first time in modern franchise history that the team was able to sweep a weekend set of three games in three nights.

The offense came from an unlikely source as veteran stay-at-home defenceman Drew Nichol scored two goals and one assist to the win.

It took Nichol 86 games and a span of over a year and a half to get his first WHL goal last season on Dec.9, 2008 against Swift Current.

It took another season and a half and a span of 92 games for the rugged d-man to get his next WHL goal.

His goal started the comeback as Edmonton scored five unanswered as the Oil Kings came back from a 3-1 deficit.

Nichol's first goal cut the Canes lead to 2-1, while he gave the Oil Kings their first lead of the hockey game just 38 seconds into the third period and they never looked back.

“I definitely didn’t want to have to wait another 92 games to get my next goal,” laughed Nichol.

“I got the opportunity to contribute tonight and it was a nice personal reward, but the most important thing was that we got the win, and that’s all I really care about.”
Nichol has quietly put up his best offensive season with the Oil Kings. He now has two goals and 11 assists in 56 games this year.

"This will be a nice reward for him. He’s been a warrior for us since Day 1, and he deserves it,” said Oil Kings assistant coach Rocky Thompson.

“He’s played hard for us all year and he does the things that nobody ever notices."

Garry Nunn, T.J. Foster, Robin Soudek and Cameron Abney rounded out the scoring in the victory. Torrie Jung earned the win after making 23 saves for his ninth win of the season.

Soudek’s third period marker is the recently converted defenceman’s second straight game winner.

Cam Braes scored twice for Lethbridge and Daniel Johnston and Ryon Moser tallied the other goals for the Hurricanes. Netminder Ville Kolppanen made his first start for Lethbridge in over two months and made 31 saves in the loss.

Edmonton had an opportunity to jump over Lethbridge in the standings last week with a win, but they fell 4-3 at Rexall Place on Feb.10th. But with the two victories over the Canes and the win Saturday night against Prince George the Oil Kings moved past Lethbridge and out of the Western Hockey League’s Eastern Conference basement.

Their record now sits at 15-36-4-8 good for 42 points and 11th place in the Conference.

“We’re really excited- there is no doubt about it. We faced a lot of adversity tonight. It was 2-0 and 3-1 and they had all the momentum,” said Oil Kings assistant coach Rocky Thompson.
Nichol knows that with the playoffs out of the question, the success this weekend is something they can build on for next year.
 
“This is something that this group has really worked hard for. Nobody takes anything for granted of what we achieve,” explained Nichol.
"Just sitting on the bus and seeing all the smiles on the guys faces is something that we've desperately needed.

“First or last place, it’s something that we all find great motivation in. This weekend was huge for the Oil Kings organization. I wish this could have happened, a couple of months ago, but for the younger guys on this team, this is exactly what they needed.”

Oil Kings tough Cameron Abney had a big weekend. He was a physical force, and he has now scored for the Oil Kings in three straight games after going his first in Edmonton without one.

But after a tough first period that saw the Oil Kings down 2-0, it was Abney’s fists that sparked the Oil Kings after he beat up on Lethbridge defenceman Mike Reddington in the early stages of the second period.

He helped set up Nichol’s second goal early in the third and than capped off the Gordie Howe hat-trick with an empty-netter late in the third.

“That fight gave us all kinds of momentum,” added Thompson.

“It really gave us energy, and you could see it on the Lethbridge bench, they were deflated.

“Abney’s been a beast for us lately, and it was nice to see him get the Gordie Howe hat-trick, those are hard to get.”

The line of Michael St. Croix, Nunn and Foster continues their explosive pace.

The line combined for another five points on Sunday, led by Nunn’s one goal, one assist effort.

That gives the trio an astounding 42 points in their last 10 games.

“They have been the line that we’ve leaned on over the last few weeks, and they’ve been flying,” said Thompson.

"It's nice to see other lines contributing, and that's been a big part of our recent success and our success this weekend." 

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