GDB #31 vs Brandon

Oil Kings (30 19-8-1-2) vs Wheat Kings (31 18-11-1-1)

Just one game on the WHL schedule tonight, and it's at Rexall Place featuring the battle of the Kings.  The Oil Kings look for their eighth straight win tonight.  Edmonton is coming off another big victory over the Calgary Hitmen, 6-2 on Tuesday night.  Griffen Reinhart led the way with three points, Dylan Wruck and Tyler Maxwell both extended their point streaks to nine games.  Stephane Legault returned to the lineup and registered a goal and an assist. The Oil Kings have scored at least four goals in each of their last four games, and now sit fourth in goals for in the WHL, they have also allowed the second least amount of goals against in the league.


The Wheat Kings kick off a three game Alberta road swing tonight.  They are coming off a shut out loss against Regina on Sunday.  The Wheaties are sitting in fifth in the Eastern Conference with 38 points, three behind the East leading Oil Kings.  They have struggled a bit as of late with two wins in their last six games. 

Photo: Andy Devlin/Edmonton Oil Kings

Players to watch: 

Edmonton: Dylan Wruck.  The Kings leading scorer from last season found his grove as the calendar turned to December.  Wruck is on a nine game point streak, and has been a key cog for the Kings.  Along with linemates Michael St. Croix and Tyler Maxwell, Wruck has re-emerged as dominant offensive force in the WHL.  His addition on the point on the power play has led the Kings unit to the fourth best PP in the league.

Brandon:  Mark Stone.  Stone continues to lead both the Wheat Kings and the WHL in scoring as we approach the midway point of the season.  The Ottawa Senator prospect has 25 goals and 61 points on the season.  Stone will be without his linemate Michael Ferland who is serving the final game of his three game suspension.  Stone figures to play a major role for Team Canada in the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships.

Season Series: The Wheat Kings took the first meeting this year in Brandon 3-2 on October 29th.  The teams will play four times this season, the next matchup coming  in Manitoba on December 30th.  The Wheaties are back in Edmonton on January 27th.

Leaders:

Goals- EDM- Michael St. Croix (16), Tyler Maxwell (16)

BDN- Mark Stone (25)

Points- EDM- St. Croix (41)

BDN- Stone (61)

Wins- EDM- Laurent Brossoit (17)
BDN- Corbin Boes (11)

PIMS- EDM- Keegan Lowe (63)
BDN- Darian Dziurzynski, Ryley Miller (56)

Drafted:

EDM- Mark Pysyk-Buffalo Sabres (1st Round, 2010), Kristians Pelss- Edmonton Oilers (7th, 2010), Keegan Lowe- Carolina Hurricanes (3rd, 2011), Travis Ewanyk- Oilers (3rd, 2011), Michael St. Croix- New York Rangers (4th, 2011), Martin Gernat- Oilers (5th, 2011), Laurent Brossoit- Calgary Flames (6th, 2011)

BDN- Michael Ferland- Flames (5th round, 2010), Mark Stone- Ottawa Senators (6th, 2010), Darian Dziurzynski- Phoenix Coyotes (5th, 2011) Jordan Fransoo- Senators (7th, 2011), Brandon Anderson signed free agent- Washington Capitals.

Injury Report:

EDM:  #15, David Stephens, Upper body, week to week
#21, Travis Ewanyk, Upper body, 1 month +


BRN: #21, Tyrel Seaman, Upper body, 1 week

Notes:  Oil Kings forward Michael St. Croix is 12th in league scoring (41), Dylan Wruck is tied for 17th (35).  Defenceman Martin Gernat is tied for 6th in rookie scoring in the WHL (24), Curtis Lazar is tied for 15th (17 points). Gernat is also 6th in scoring amongst defencemen.  Gernat will attend the camp for Team Slovkia for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships.  Captain Mark Pysyk has been invited to participate in the selection camp for Team Canada.  Kristians Pelss has been named to the Latvian preliminary roster.  Oil Kings netminder Laurent Brossoit is 3rd in GAA (2.33), and tied for 3rd in wins (17).  For Brandon, Mark Stone leads the WHL in scoring 61 points, Michael Ferland is tied for 9th (42).  Alessio Bertaggia is tied for 4th in rookie scoring (27).  Ryan Pulock (32) and Eric Roy (31) are 1-2 in scoring amongst defencemen.  Stone and Ferland have been invited to Canada's camp for the World Junior Hockey Championship. Bertaggia has been invited to Switzerland's pre-tourny camp.  This is the second of four meetings between the two clubs this year.  Pregame show at 6:45, the puck drops at 7:00 on the Team 1260.