Medicine Hat Tigers (8-3-1-0) @ 
Edmonton Oil Kings (8-1-3-0)
It’s the first of five meetings on the year for the Oil Kings and Tigers. If you don’t remember, the Oil Kings knocked the Tigers out of the playoffs in the first round last season and currently, both teams sit at the top of the WHL Eastern Conference, Edmonton slightly ahead at 19 points. In what looks to already be a playoff preview, Edmonton will look to defend home ice against the Tigers, the Oil Kings are currently 3-1 at home.
Between the pipes in this one will be Todd Scot who gets back in the net after surrendering it to Sebastian Cossa last weekend in Red Deer. He will be staring across the ice at Mads Søgaard who was absolutely stellar in the playoffs against the Oil Kings and off to a good start this year with a 5-3-1 record.
Edmonton is playing the first half of a back to back as they will face the Seattle Thunderbirds tomorrow night at Rogers Place.
First Period
Very fast-paced period as expected between two very good teams, the first big chance of the game went to the Alistrov, Williams and Atkinson line who would turn a 3-on-2 into a scoring opportunity, however, Søgaard was up to test and turned it away.
Edmonton would take the first penalty of the game as http://annedickson.co.uk/talking-points/the-price-women-pay/?unapproved=365 Matthew Robertson takes an interference penalty for shoving a Tigers player into the Oil Kings net. The Oil Kings had the best chance of the Tigers powerplay and they buried it. Sloppy play by Maasin James Hamblin and the Tigers as a whole in the neutral zone leads to a 2-on-1 rush for the Oil Kings as repulsively Josh Williams finds Sawchuk for a wide-open tap in, giving the Oil Kings a 1-0 lead 7 minutes in.
Sawchuck barely misses an opportunity to give the Oil Kings a 2-0 lead heading into the intermission by drilling the post on a one-timer, so we would head into the first intermission with a 1-0 Oil Kings advantage. However, the Tigers would hold the shot clock advantage at 13-11.
Second Period
More of the same for the Oil Kings in the early second period as they jump all over the Tigers off the face-off, which eventually leads to an Ethan McIndoe goal assisted by Williams 40 seconds into the second frame. It wouldn’t be all smiles and rainbows for the Oil Kings in this one though as the Tigers pounce back right away, 31 seconds later to be exact. Brett Kemp takes a Cole Sillinger feed and puts the Tigers onto the board, Ryan Chyzowski would also get an assist on the play as the Tigers would cut into the Oil Kings lead.
The middle of the frame consisted of a lot of penalties, but not many chances. Edmonton would increase their lead late in the period on the powerplay as Carter Souch pots one past Søgaard, thanks to Williams and Guenther. Williams already has three points on the night, all of them being primary assists as the Oil Kings take a 3-1 lead into the third period. Shots are now tied at 26.
Third Period
Medicine Hat would strike first in the third period with 13 minutes remaining as Daniel Baker finds the back of the net thanks to a nice feed from Bryan Lockner. The Tigers would pull within one as we have a close game down the stretch. Edmonton shortly after gets their chance to increase their lead thanks to a 5-3 powerplay. Medicine Hat would kill it off.
It took a couple of minutes, but the momentum stays in Edmonton’s favor as Sawchuk once again finds the back of the net, this time assisted by Jake Neighbours, restoring the Oil Kings two-goal lead with four minutes left in the game.
Sillinger and Lyupen would take coincidental minors with 3:30 left in the game, making it 4-on-4 which the Tigers would use as a time to pull Søgaard for the extra attacker, effectively making it a 5-on-4.
Edmonton would hold onto the 4-2 lead right into the final horn and would get their fourth home win of the year, bringing them to a 4-1 record at home.
They’ll look to continue their hot streak tomorrow night against the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Powerplay and Shots
1/4 PP 0/6 PP
39 shots 44 shots
Three Stars
- Josh Williams
- Riley Sawchuk
- Todd Scott
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