GDB #8 @ Medicine Hat

Oil Kings (7 4-2-1-0) vs Tigers (7 3-3-1-0)

The Oil Kings wrap up a two game road trip tonight in Medicine Hat.  Edmonton is coming off a 6-5 overtime loss in Calgary on Sunday afternoon.  The Oil Kings, lead by TJ Foster's franchise single game record four goals, traded the lead back and forth with the Hitmen all afternoon.  A Michael St. Croix power play goal late would force overtime before Calgary's Spencer Humphries tallied a PP goal of his own to send the home side to victory.  Edmonton has lost three of their last four games, but have points in back to back games after beating the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday night.  Medicine Hat has lost back to back games, 6-1 in Vancouver and 4-1 at Kamloops, wrapping up a three game western swing where they netted a single point. 




Photo: Andy Devlin/Edmonton Oil Kings

Last Year: The Oil Kings went 4-1-0-1 against the Tigers.  After dropping 14 straight games at the Medicine Hat Arena, the Oil Kings snapped their goose egg with a 6-2 win on January 12.  They have now won back to back games in the Gas City.  The Tigers finished fourth in the Eastern Conference last season.  They swept the Blades in the first round of the playoffs before losing in four straight to the Moose Jaw Warriors.

The Opposition: It is a rebuilding year in Medicine Hat.  They have graduated players like Emerson Etem, Tyler Bunz, James Bettauer, Matt Konan, Cole Grbavac, and Patrik Parkkonen.  They are also without twenty year olds Alex Therieau (offseason hip surgery) and Kale Kessey (suspension/AHL camp).  Undoubtedly their offense will be led by Hunter Shinkaruk, a 49 goal scorer last season who is in his draft year.  They also have newcomer Miles Koules (son of Saw movie maker Oren) to help out offensively. 

Photo: Andy Devlin/Edmonton Oil Kings

Leaders:

Goals- EDM- T.J. Foster (7)

MH- Curtis Valk, Trevor Cox (4)

Points- EDM- Michael St. Croix (10)

MH- Hunter Shinkaruk (8)

Wins- EDM- Laurent Brossoit (3)

MH- Marek Langhamer (2)

PIMS- EDM- Travis Ewanyk (23) 

MH- Tyler Lewington, Kale Kessey (17)

Next Up: The Kings return home for a single game on Friday night when they face the Hitmen for the third time this year.  The game will be the featured CHL nation wide broadcast on Sportsnet.  Med Hat heads north on a single game trip.  They visit Red Deer on Friday night.     


Photo: Andy Devlin/Edmonton Oil Kings

Drafted:

EDM- Keegan Lowe- Carolina Hurricanes (3rd, 2011), Travis Ewanyk- Edmonton Oilers (3rd, 2011), Michael St. Croix- New York Rangers (4th, 2011), Martin Gernat- Oilers (5th, 2011), Laurent Brossoit- Calgary Flames (6th, 2011), Griffin Reinhart- New York Islanders (1st, 2012), Henrik Samuelsson- Phoenix Coyotes (1st, 2012), Mitch Moroz- Oilers (2nd, 2012).

MH- Alex Theriau- Dallas Stars (4th, 2010), Kale Kessey- Coyotes (4th, 2012), Marek Langhamer- Coyotes (7th, 2012).

Draft Watch (NHL Central Scouting Preliminery Watch List)

A Skaters- Curtis Lazar (EDM), Hunter Shinkaruk (MH)
B Skaters- Mason Geertsen (EDM)
C Skaters- Cody Corbett, Edgars Kulda, Ashton Sautner (EDM)
B Goaltenders- Tristan Jarry (EDM)

Injury Report:

EDM:
#4 Keegan Lowe, lower body, day to day
#7 Stephane Legault, lower body, 4-6 weeks

#28 Martin Gernat, upper body, indefinite

MH: #4 Ty Stanton, upper body, day to day
#19 Jayden Hart, illness, day to day
#23 Alex Theriau, lower body, one month


Roster notes:  Stephane Legault broke a non weight bearing bone in his foot on Sunday in Calgary.  Legault suffered the injury while blocking a shot.  Keegan Lowe is a game time decision. 
 

Notes: Today is the deadline for teams to get down to three twenty year olds on their roster.  The Oil Kings currently have two (Wruck, Foster) the Tigers have four (Theriau, Kessey, Pearce, Ryckman).  Due to Theriau's injury and Kessey being in the AHL, the Tigers will receive an extension on their deadline.  The Saskatoon Blades have acquired Rebels captain Adam Kambeitz for Christian Stockl and a 2014 third round bantam pick.  To make room the Blades have waived twenty year old Connor Cox on waivers.  Tonight is one of five games on the WHL schedule. It is the first of six meetings between the two clubs this season. Pregame at 6:55, puck drop at 7:00 on the Team 1260.