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WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Luke-ing Good

March 23, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


MEDICINE HAT, AB -- Edmonton Oil Kings head coach Steve Hamilton told everyone he and the team will continue to come to the rink until they were told not to. And that's exactly what they will do thanks to a critical do-or-die 6-4 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers Tuesday at the Canalta Centre.

Veteran Luke Bertolucci wasn't ready to say goodbye to his Oil Kings career as the Montrose, BC native scored twice two minutes apart in the first and lead his team to the victory as the boys will clinch their sixth straight post-season berth and now head east Brandon.

"We talked about their being an opportunity in the game," said Hamilton. "Where there's going to be a moment we can build off and that (Bertolucci shorthanded goal) was it. We were down 2-0 and not a great start and he comes in off the rush and just buries one."

"There was a lot of momentum," said Bertolucci. "It was shifting both ways. Clearly in the first period they had a good start and we kind of took over. They got a couple goals back but we held on for the win."

He says he had some gas left in the tank on his shift when he scored the much-needed shorthanded goal.

"I was going to dump it down, but I still had some energy left so I took it in their zone. It was kind of a long shot and I was surprised it went in but I'll take it."

The Oil Kings wanted to avoid getting off to a rough start in this critical game versus the Tigers. The guys were buzzing pregame and chomping at the bit to pick up the win. But the Tigers had other plans scoring twice in the first five minutes when Caleb Fantillo and Chad Butcher deposited the puck behind starting goaltender Payton Lee.

It was then that Edmonton could have folded to the momentum but Bertolucci put the team on his back scoring twice and Brett Pollock added one late bringing the team into the intermission with a 3-2 lead.

The Oil Kings and Tigers battled and checked hard during the second and both Lee and Nick Schneider made incredible saves keeping the game 3-2 heading into the final frame.

Then the heart-stopping edge-of-your-seat action came. The Oil Kings scored 1:54 into the third when Andrew Koep beat Schneider to give them a 4-2 lead. However, as they have done all season long, the Tigers clawed back scoring twice 55 seconds apart making it a brand new game at 4-4.

It was the Swiss sensation Dario Meyer who scored the game-winner when he tipped on a Dysin Mayo point shot past Schnieder. The Tigers got their own powerplay opportunity when Mayo was called for cross-checking. The tabbies pulled their tender and had a full two minute 6-on-4 and blasted shot after shot on Lee but captain Brandon Baddock sealed the deal with an empty netter sending the Oil Kings into a frenzy.

Lee was at the top of his game stopping 39/43 shots for the win. He accredited the team's perseverance for the win.

"We talked about that no matter if they got on us we were just going to keep pushing," said Lee. "I thought the guys did a pretty good job of letting me see pucks tonight and that contributed to the win."

The team will hop on the bus and begin the journey to Brandon where they will face off against the Wheat Kings on Thursday at 7:30pm for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals.

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