Oil Kings GDB #4 @ Medicine Hat
Game 2 of the home and home series between the Oil Kings and the Medicine Hat Tigers goes tonight at the Arena in the Hat. The Tigers took the front half last night in Edmonton downing the Kings 5-3 in a less than spectacular opening night at Rexall. Edmonton was flat for the first 40 minutes of the games before waking up after 16 year old Mason Geertson delivered a crushing body check and subsequently fought 19 year Scott MacKay. The Kings would score three straight including a beauty by Curtis Lazar to cut the gap to 2, but that would be as close as they would get.
Both Martin Gernat (1-1) and Ashton Sautner (0-1) kept their season opening point streaks alive. Laurent Brossoit started his third consecutive game.
Players to watch:
Edmonton: Martin Gernat. The Oiler prospect is leading defencemen in scoring early in the WHL season with 3 goals and 6 points. He isn't afraid to gamble in the offensive zone, and uses his big reach to get to loose pucks. He is paired with Griffen Reinhart and they have developed some chemistry from the blue line.
Medicine Hat: Emerson Etem. He registered his first hat-track of the season last night in Edmonton. He is deceptive, a quick skater and a big body at 6'1 close to 200 pounds. The Anaheim Duck first rounder in the 2010 Entry Draft had a long look in Anaheim and comes back to be the leader offensively for the Tigers.
Last Year:
The Oil Kings have traditionally struggled against the Tigers, and last year was no different. Edmonton was 1-4-0-1 in the six game series, their lone win coming in a shootout. Edmonton is also looking for their first win in the Medicine Hat Arena in modern franchise history, going 0-10-1-2 in 13 visits to the Gas City.
Leaders:
Goals
EDM-Gernat (3)
MH- Etem (4)
Points
EDM- Gernat (6)
MH- Etem (4)
Pregame show at 7:15, the puck drops at 7:30 on the Team 1260.
Notes: The Oil Kings dealt defenseman Braeden Laroque to the Seattle Thunderbirds earlier in the week for a 2012 WHL Bantam draft pick. Forward Travis Ewanyk underwent successful shoulder surgery as well, and has begun the road back to the line-up. 20 year old Jon Groenheyde is expected to make his first start of the season tonight against the Tigers. The Oil Kings will have a couple days off before hosting the defending WHL Champion Kootenay Ice on Wednesday at Rexall.
