WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Oil Kings Drop Memorial Cup Opener to Shawinigan

June 21, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


Saint John, NB - The Edmonton Oil Kings saw a third period lead slip away on Tuesday night as they fell 4-3 to the Shawinigan Cataractes in their 2022 Memorial Cup tournament opening game.

The Cataractes got on the board first as they were able to capitalize on a power play just over 10 minutes into the opening frame with Jordan Tourigny zipping home a shot from the slot.

The Oil Kings were able to answer back in the final minute of the period as off a faceoff win by Jakub Demek, Josh Williams pushed the puck back to Luke Prokop at the blueline, who then skated into the slot and snapped a shot past the glove of Charles-Antoine Lavallee.

The Cataractes had a chance to restore their lead before the intermission as Charles Beaudoin was sprung on a breakaway but was robbed by the right-pad of Sebastian Cossa.

In the second period, the Oil Kings got just four shots on goal, but were pin-point accurate with two of them as they grabbed a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes of play.

Tyler Horstmann briefly gave the Oil Kings a 2-1 lead at the 4:11 mark after he was sent in on a two-on-one rush with Jalen Luypen, thanks a great long-bomb pass from Kaiden Guhle, and on the odd-man rush, Horstmann elected to keep and shoot ripping a shot over the left-shoulder of Lavallee from the right-circle.

Exactly three minutes later, the Cataractes answered back as Edmonton Oilers prospect Xavier Bourgault chipped in a goal on a setup by Beaudoin and Maverik Bourque.

With just under three minutes left in the middle stanza, Cole Miller restored the Edmonton lead after Jalen Luypen hit him with a cross-ice pass on a three-on-two rush just inside the right-circle, and like Horstmann earlier, he fired the puck past the glove-hand of Lavallee.

In the third period, the Cataractes got two goals 1:18 apart less than seven minutes in from Pierrick Dube and Olivier Nadeau to turn their one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead and despite a desperate push from the Oil Kings in the back half of the period, they would hold on for the 4-3 win.

Cossa finished the night making 31 saves in defeat while Lavallee turned in 25 saves in the Shawinigan crease. The Oil Kings went 0-for-5 on the power play, the Cataractes were 1-for-5.

Next up, the Oil Kings are back on the ice tomorrow at the 2022 Memorial Cup as they take on the host Saint John Sea Dogs at 4:00 PM MT.

All Memorial Cup games are televised on TSN and all Oil Kings games can be heard at oilkings.ca/radio.

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

The Edmonton Oil Kings are hosting #ChaseTheCrown 50/50 for the 2022 Memorial Cup! This multi-day raffle runs from June 20 at 9:00 A.M. MT until the Championship Final on June 29.

This raffle helps raise important funds for the Edmonton Oil Kings Education Association, supporting the education of current and former Edmonton Oil Kings players through scholarships.

To purchase tickets, go to oilkings.ca/50-50.

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Western Hockey League Stories from June 21, 2022


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