Sports stats

WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

ECQF Series Preview: Edmonton Oil Kings vs. Lethbridge Hurricanes

April 20, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


The Western Hockey League Playoffs are back for the first time since 2019 and the Edmonton Oil Kings will take on the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the first round.

When the two teams drop the puck on their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series on Thursday at Rogers Place, it will mark the first time in history the Oil Kings and Hurricanes do battle in the post-season.

The Oil Kings finished the season with a 50-14-3-1 record, capturing a fourth consecutive Central Division title and securing the second seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Hurricanes meanwhile carved out a 33-30-4-1 record to lockdown the seventh seed in the conference thanks to a strong finish to their season.

SERIES SCHEDULE

Game Visitor Home Date Time

1 Lethbridge @ Edmonton Thursday, April 21 7:00PM

2 Lethbridge @ Edmonton Saturday, April 23 7:00PM

3 Edmonton @ Lethbridge Tuesday, April 26 7:00PM

4 Edmonton @ Lethbridge Thursday, April 28 7:00PM

5* Lethbridge @ Edmonton Saturday, April 30 2:00PM

6* Edmonton @ Lethbridge Sunday, May 1 7:00PM

7* Lethbridge @ Edmonton TBD 7:00PM

*If necessary

HOW THEY GOT HERE

Edmonton Oil Kings

The Oil Kings entered the 2021-22 season with sky high expectations surrounding the team following a 20-2-0-1 record during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season and boasting a roster featuring NHL prospects Jake Neighbours (St. Louis Blues), Dylan Guenther (Arizona Coyotes), Jalen Luypen (Chicago Blackhawks), Jakub Demek (Vegas Golden Knights) and goaltender Sebastian Cossa (Detroit Red Wings), paired with dynamic veterans in Carter Souch, Josh Williams, Logan Dowhaniuk and Simon Kubicek.

During the regular season, the Oil Kings did not disappoint as they put together their fourth 50-win season in modern franchise history while snagging their seventh Central Division crown in just 15 years.

Throughout the season the Oil Kings were not just a mainstay in the CHL's Top 10 weekly rankings, they were a mainstay in the Top 5, never dipping below the 5-spot through all 24 weeks. Along the way they set new franchise records for win-percentage (.735), points-percentage (.765) and single-season win streak (14 games).

The Oil Kings bolstered their roster throughout the course of the year adding three NHL prospects in defencemen Luke Prokop (Nashville Predators) and Kaiden Guhle (Montreal Canadiens), along with forward Justin Sourdif (Florida Panthers).

Like several teams across the WHL, the Oil Kings ran into the injury/illness bug throughout the season but were guided out of it by a number of their young players stepping up and filling into some key roles.

They enter the post-season after finishing the regular-season on a four-game win streak.

Lethbridge Hurricanes

The Hurricanes reshaped their roster throughout the course of the season moving out a handful of veteran players and in-doing so caught fire with the perfect blend of youthful enthusiasm and veteran leadership.

Justin Hall led the way offensively for the Hurricanes with his 74 points (34G, 40A), while long-time running-mate Alex Thacker wasn't far behind with 64 points (14G, 50A). A trio of emerging rookies gave their scoring attack an added punch in their arsenal as Belarussian import-forward Yegor Klavdiev put up a 21 goal season to go along with 47 points (21G, 26A), while Logan Wormald had 38 points (14G, 24A) in just 55 games and Brayden Edwards finished his 27 point campaign (10G, 17A) with eight of his 10 goals coming in the team's final 10 games of the season.

The 'Canes enter the post-season as one of the hottest teams in the WHL after closing the season on a seven-game unbeaten streak (6-0-1-0) and going 9-2-0-1 in their final dozen games to emerge atop a pack of teams scrapping for the final two post-season berths in the WHL's Eastern Conference.

Over the last two months of the regular season, the Hurricanes went 13-6-2-0 which equates to a 42-win pace over the course of a 68-game schedule. (Credit: Dustin Forbes)

50-14-3-1 - 104pts Record 33-30-4-1 - 71pts

295 (3rd) GF 216 (13th)

182 (4th) GA 238 (13th)

64-for-292 - 21.9% (10th) PP 54-for-269 - 20.1% (15th)

51-for-324 - 84.3% (1st) PK 53-for-254 - 79.1% (10th)

15 SHG 10

7 SHGA 13

29-4-1-0 Home Record 18-13-2-1

36-for-158 - 22.8% (11th) Home PP 24-for-134 - 17.9% (15th)

29-for-158 - 81.7% (4th) Home PK 27-for-129 - 79.1% (11th)

21-10-2-1 Away Record 15-17-2-0

28-for-134 - 20.9% (11th) Away PP 30-for-135 - 22.2% (9th)

22-for-166 - 86.7% (1st) Away PK 26-for-125 - 79.2% (12th)

Dylan Guenther (45-46-91) Leading Scorer Justin Hall (34-40-74)

Josh Williams (34-48-82) Second Leading Scorer Alex Thacker (14-50-64)

Carter Souch (22-49-71) Third Leading Scorer Yegor Klavdiev (21-26-47)

Jakub Demek (20-34-54) Top Rookie Yegor Klavdiev (21-26-47)

Sebastian Cossa

33-9-2-1 2.28gaa .913sv% 6SO Top Goaltender Bryan Thomson

23-23-2-1 3.12gaa .899sv% 1SO

SEASON SERIES

The season series between the Oil Kings and Hurricanes this year was a tale of two cities with three of the four games played in Lethbridge decided by a single goal and all four games played at Rogers Place decided by at least a four-goal spread.

Edmonton Oil Kings: 6-2-0-0

Power Play - 7/35 (20.0%)

Penalty Kill - 2/38 (94.7%)

Shots For - 267

Shots Against - 209

Faceoffs - 287/526 (54.6%) Lethbridge Hurricanes: 2-5-0-1

Power Play - 2/38 (5.3%)

Penalty Kill - 7/35 (80.0%)

Shots For - 209

Shots Against - 267

Faceoffs - 239/526 (45.4%)

EDM Top Scorers:

Dylan Guenther - 8gp, 8g-4a-12pts

Josh Williams - 8gp, 4g-6a-10pts

Carter Souch - 8gp, 2g-7a-9pts

EDM Top Goaltender:

Sebastian Cossa, 6-1-0-0, 1.65gaa, .938sv%, 3SO

LET Top Scorers:

Justin Hall - 8gp, 5g-2a-7pts

Alex Thacker - 8gp, 2g-3a-5pts

Logan Wormald - 5gp, 1g-4a-5pts

LET Top Goaltender:

Bryan Thomson, 2-4-0-1, 3.42gaa, .903sv%, 0SO

October 6 - Oil Kings 2 @ Hurricanes 1:

In the opening game of the season series, the two clubs engaged in a defensive duel that wouldn't see the game's opening goal until the final second of the second period when Jalen Luypen broke the scoreless deadlock with a shorthanded marker. The Hurricanes were able to level the score in the third period thanks to a Yegor Klavdiev marker. With neither team willing to budge an inch in the latter stages of the game, it looked like 3-on-3 overtime would be needed to decide the outcome until an errant rebound on a harmless looking shot landed on the tape of Edmonton defenceman Logan Dowhaniuk who pounced on the loose disc and shoveled home the game winner with less than three minutes remaining in the contest.

Shots - 29-24 EDM

Faceoffs - 31-25 EDM

Power Plays - EDM 0/2 LET 0/4

October 15 - Hurricanes 0 @ Oil Kings 4:

In the first game played at Rogers Place between the Oil Kings and 'Canes, it would be a strong performance by the home side as Edmonton picked up a clean sheet victory. Luke Prokop made his Oil Kings debut on this night and would make a great first impression opening the scoring just 4:14 into the game. Despite a flurry of chances for the Oil Kings throughout the game, Edmonton maintained just a one-goal lead until just past the 10-minute mark of the third period when Josh Williams provided an insurance marker. Dylan Guenther tallied his first goal of the season with a shorthanded empty-netter and before the final buzzer, Prokop capped his impressive debut turning on the goal light a second time. Sebastian Cossa made 25 saves to register his first shutout, and first of three against the Hurricanes this season.

Shots - 40-25 EDM

Faceoffs - 35-17 EDM

Power Plays - EDM 1/5 LET 0/5

November 2 - Hurricanes 0 @ Oil Kings 7:

The Oil Kings blitzed out to a 4-0 first period lead thanks to two early goals from Simon Kubicek and singles from Jakub Demek and Carson Latimer. Dylan Guenther wasted no time piling on in the second period extending the Oil Kings lead to 5-0 less than a minute in. Josh Williams and Kobe Verbicky would also grab second period markers as the Oil Kings cruised to a decisive victory. 14 of the 18 Oil Kings skaters in the game registered at least a point, while Kubicek, Guenther, Williams, Luke Prokop and Carter Souch each finished with multi-point efforts. Sebastian Cossa made 28 saves for his second blanking of Lethbridge.

Shots - 36-28 EDM

Faceoffs - 29-26 EDM

Power Plays - EDM 1/5 LET 0/3

November 26 - Oil Kings 2 @ Hurricanes 3:

The Hurricanes got in the win column for the first time in the season series after a strong 60-minute effort on their home turf. A pair of Edmonton-area products in Justin Hall and Alex Thacker staked the Hurricanes to a 2-0 lead in the first period, but before the opening 20 was in the books, Dylan Guenther got the Oil Kings on the board with a power play marker with only four seconds left before the horn. Hall made good a second time in period two as he finished off a beautiful three-way passing play between himself, Jett Jones and Trevor Thurston to once again build a two-goal cushion for his team. Josh Williams netted a third period goal for Edmonton but that would be as close as they would come as Bryan Thomson barred the door making 36 saves for the win.

Shots - 38-27 EDM

Faceoffs - 37-29 LET

Power Plays - EDM 1/7 LET 0/5

January 16 - Oil Kings 5 @ Hurricanes 4 (SO):

After having nearly a two-month break in the season series, the Oil Kings and Hurricanes renewed hostilities with a wild affair at the Enmax Centre that saw Edmonton claw back from a late two-goal deficit to grab a thrilling 5-4 triumph in a shootout. Justin Hall helped the Hurricanes out to leads of 3-1 and 4-2 with his third hat-trick of the season, and second in as many nights, but a third period power play goal from Dylan Guenther would get the Oil Kings on the comeback trail before former Hurricane Cole Miller leveled the score with just under six minutes left in regulation. After overtime solved nothing, the Oil Kings got goals from Guenther and Simon Kubicek in the skills competition, while Sebastian Cossa denied Hall and Liekit Reichle for the 'Canes, giving Edmonton the bonus point. Also of note, in the second period, Oil Kings rookie rearguard Carter Kowlayk registered his first career WHL goal.

Shots - 31-29 EDM

Faceoffs - 36-34 LET

Power Plays - EDM 1/3 LET 1/4

January 30 - Hurricanes 0 @ Oil Kings 6:

The Oil Kings caught the Hurricanes at the tale end of a weekend three-in-three and took full advantage as they were guided to victory by Dylan Guenther who notched his second hat-trick of the season, third of his career, as they roughed up the road weary Hurricanes. Jalen Luypen and Shea Van Olm grabbed unassisted markers while Carter Souch snagged a power play tally on setup from Guenther. Sebastian Cossa made 24 saves for his third shutout in the season series.

Shots - 26-24 EDM

Faceoffs - 43-29 EDM

Power Plays - EDM 2/5 LET 0/8

March 25 - Oil Kings 5 @ Hurricanes 2:

In the Oil Kings final visit to the Enmax Centre in the regular season, they found themselves with a 4-0 lead just past the midway point of the game courtesy goals from Jakub Demek, Josh Williams, Justin Sourdif and Dylan Guenther. The Hurricanes, who had been stymied on 26 shots through 40-minutes of play by Sebastian Cossa, finally broke through on the Oil Kings getting two goals, just 3:18 apart, from Brayden Edwards in the final eight minutes, but Carter Souch iced the game with an empty-netter stalling the Lethbridge comeback attempt.

Shots - 34-28 LET

Faceoffs - 46-35 EDM

Power Plays - EDM 1/3 LET 0/5

March 27 - Hurricanes 5 @ Oil Kings 1:

In the final matchup of the season series, the Hurricanes got the last laugh on the strength of an explosive five-goal second period. The Oil Kings actually opened the scoring just 16-seconds in when Jalen Luypen cashed in on a coast-to-coast rush but after that, Lethbridge goaltender Bryan Thomson was perfect stopping the next 38 pucks flung his way. In the aforementioned second period, the Hurricanes scored early and often with Brayden Edwards, Alex Thacker, Logan Wormald, Yegor Klavdiev and Chase Pauls all etching their name on the scoresheet.

Shots - 39-18 EDM

Faceoffs - 40-34 EDM

Power Plays - EDM 0/5 LET 1/4

Edmonton Oil Kings Playoff Passes are on-sale now. For only $129/seat, you get access to every Oil Kings home playoff game. The more we play, the less you pay! To purchase, click here.

The Oil Kings next home game is Thursday, April 21 against the Lethbridge Hurricanes for game one of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series.

Join the conversation on social media by using #ChaseTheCrown for all your social media posts during the Oil Kings 2022 post-season run!

Check out the Edmonton Oil Kings Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from April 20, 2022


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Edmonton Oil Kings Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central