GDB #43 @ Medicine Hat

Oil Kings (42 27-10-1-4) vs Tigers (43 24-15-2-2)

The lone game on the WHL schedule features the Oil Kings in Medicine Hat tonight.  Edmonton is coming of a hard fought shoot out loss at the hands of the Red Deer Rebels on Sunday night.  The game featured a total of 114 minutes in penalties between the two Alberta rivals.  The Kings were able to tie the game in the third period on a beauty by Kristians Pelss, and controlled the second half of the game but were unable to put the Rebels away.

Photo: Dylan Lynch/Edmonton Oil Kings

The Tigers are coming off a 3-1 loss in Kootenay on Sunday as well.  Medicine Hat has lost 3 of their last four with their lone win over that stretch being an overtime win in Red Deer.  They boast a pair of the WHL's top players in Emersom Etem, an Anaheim Duck first round pick, as well as Hunter Shinkaruk, a 17 year old who isn't draft eligible until 2013.  In goal is Oiler prospect Tyler Bunz who is having another fine season between the pipes.

We should see the debut of Henrik Samuelsson, brought in by the Oil Kings earlier this week after playing for Modo in the Swedish Elite League earlier this season.  Also the it will mark the Medicine Hat debut of Fort Saskatchewan product Brendan Hurley, acquired from Kootenay at the trade deadline.

Season Series: Medicine Hat is 2-1 with the Oil Kings this season, winning the first two matchups (5-3 and 4-3 in a shoot out).  The Kings shut out the Tigers (3-0) in the last matchup in November at Rexall Place.  The teams visit each other once more down the stretch this year.  The Kings slipped back to 8th in the CHL Top Ten rankings, but have been nationally ranked for three straight weeks.  Edmonton has five players on NHL Central Scouting's Mid Terem Rankings, Griffin Reinhart is 8th, Ashton Sautner 91st, Cody Corbett 92nd, Mitch Moroz 171st and Henrik Samuelsson is 33rd amongst European skaters based on his season in Modo.

Photo: Dylan Lynch/Edmonton Oil Kings

Next Up: The Oil Kings are right back home on Saturday night to face the Kootenay Ice. The Kings will also welcome the Hanson Brothers, from the movie Slapshot that night as well.  It is only a brief stay in Edmonton for the Kings as they play the Hitmen in Calgary on Sunday afternoon.  Medicine Hat wraps up their two game homestand on Saturday when they face the Warriors.

Leaders:

Goals- EDM- Michael St. Croix (25)
MH- Emerson Etem (34)

Points- EDM- St. Croix (67)
MH- Etem (65)

Wins- EDM- Laurent Brossoit (23)
MH- Tyler Bunz (23)

PIMS- EDM- Keegan Lowe (90)
MH- Kale Kessy (100)

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)

MH- Emerson Etem- Anaheim Ducks (1st, 2010), Alex Theriau- Dallas Stars (4th, 2010), Tyler Bunz- Oilers (5th, 2010), Kale Kessy- Phoenix Coyotes (4th, 2011)

Injury Report:

EDM: #8, Griffin Reinhart, Upper body, day to day
#21, Travis Ewanyk, Upper body, 1 month
#22, Ryan Dech, Lower body, tbd
#28, Martin Gernat, Upper body, day to day

MH: None

Notes: Oil Kings forward Michael St. Croix is for 4th in league scoring (67), Dylan Wruck is tied in 12th (54). Defenceman Martin Gernat is tied for 12th in rookie scoring in the WHL (25) and he is tied for 16th in scoring amongst defencemen. Oil Kings netminder Laurent Brossoit is tied for 5th in GAA (2.50), and is tied for 3rd in wins (23). The Oil Kings have the second rated PK in the league, their PP is also 2nd. For Medicine Hat Emerson Etem is 6th in scoring (65), Hunter Shinkaruk is tied in 12th (54).  Etem and Shinkaruk are also 2-3 in goal scroring.  Jayden Hart is 17th in rookie scoring (22).  James Bettauer and Mathew Konan are tied for 5th in scoring amongst defencemen (34).  Tyler Bunz in tied with Brossoit for 5th in GAA (2.50), and tied with him for 3rd inwins (23).  Bunz leads the league in minutes played (2255) and is third in  save percentage (.923).  The Oil Kings have yet to win in Medicine Hat going 0-10-1-3 in the Arena. This is the fourth of six meetings between the two clubs this year. Pregame show at 6:45, the puck drops at 7:00 on the Team 1260.