Oil Kings push defending WHL champs to the brink in shootout loss

February 4, 2010

Photo Courtesy Kelowna Rockets/Marissa Baecker
Kelowna, BC- The Edmonton Oil Kings did a lot of great things against the defending Western Hockey League champion Kelowna Rockets.
 
However the two areas in which the Oil Kings have struggled with for most of the season have been the power play and in shootouts.
Both came back to bite them after dropping a hard fought 5-4 decision in a shootout Wednesday night.

Edmonton's power play went 0 for 4, allowing their record to drop to 11-32-4-8 this season. They are just 1-8 in shootouts this year.
 
“It’s a similar story to a lot of our one-goal games, or shootout or overtime losses where we just can’t convert on the power play,” said Oil Kings head coach Steve Pleau.

“That’s tough, I thought we worked hard 5 on 5, but we get a great opportunity with a four minute power play late in the third period and we come up empty handed.”

The line of Michael St. Croix, Garry Nunn and T.J. Foster was dominant for the second straight game.

St. Croix scored twice and added an assist, while Nunn added two goals and an assist.

Sebastian Svendsen scored in his second straight game for the Oil Kings as well.

Rockets forward Geordie Wudrick would score twice in regulation as well as the only goal in the shootout. Lucas Bloodoff and Shane McColgan would round out the scoring for Kelowna.

“That line of St. Croix, Nunn and Foster are starting to do a lot of things with up tempo speed. They move the puck around fast and they shoot the puck hard,” added Pleau.

“We are starting to see some roles develop on this team, and they are showing they can be a No.1 line for us and we need that moving forward.”
The Oil Kings held a 2-1 lead after the first period and outshot Kelowna by an 11-5 margin.

Things got a little tougher for the Oil Kings in the second period as Kelowna would score twice to take a 3-2 lead. Two of their goals came on the power play and that was the difference.

Despite being down after 40 minutes, the Oil Kings showed a lot of heart and determination as they tried to claw their way back into it.

Nunn would tie the game at the 3:33 mark, and Svendsen would tip in a perfect point shot from Oil Kings defenceman Tyler Hlookoff at the 9:17 mark of the third to give the Oil Kings the lead back, but Wudrick would tie the game at 4-4 just over three minutes later.
“They are a very skilled team, who has now won seven in a row, and I thought we competed hard against them in their own building and we can draw a lot of positives from this game,” added Pleau.

“We have some things we need to certainly work on, but we can continue to build from this game and try and move forward.”

Cam Lanigan earned his second straight start after a very impressive performance against Prince Albert on Sunday.

The 17-year-old, was once again outstanding making 34 saves in the loss. He came away with two highlight reel saves in overtime to give the Oil Kings a chance in the shootout.

Lanigan, would come across his crease on an odd-man rush to rob McColgan with a diving stick save and moments later he came across with his right pad and made a toe save off of Wudrick, who were the Rockets most dangerous duo all evening long.

“He was excellent,” said Pleau.

“That’s a tough team to play against. They have a great power play and real skill up front, and he kept us in it as the game wore on.”
 
On a side note, Oil Kings captain Rhett Rachinski returned to the lineup after missing eight games due to injury.

Edmonton will now travel to Prince George and play the Cougars for a back-to-back affair on Friday and Saturday to finish off their three-game B.C. road trip. 

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