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WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Oil Kings Earn Point in Victoria

December 30, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


Victoria, BC - The Edmonton Oil Kings picked a point for a fourth straight game on Friday night but dropped a razor tight 4-3 decision in overtime at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre to the Victoria Royals.

For a fourth straight game, the Oil Kings took a lead to the first intermission and for a third straight game it was Ty Nash opening the scoring.

Just 3:35 into the first period, Gracyn Sawchyn got in on the forecheck, stripped a Royals defenceman of the puck in front of his own net and fed Nash in the right circle where he would muscle a shot through Braden Holt for his 10th goal of the season and fifth in his last three games.

The Royals outshot the Oil Kings 10-9 in the first period, but Hudson Perry was able to turn aside each Victoria offering including a late breakaway save on Tanner Scott preserve the 1-0 lead through 20.

The Oil Kings maintained their one goal lead for much of the second period, but in the final two minutes, the Royals would score twice with Justin Kipkie and Scott finding the back of the net in a span of 1:01 to put the Oil Kings in a 2-1 deficit after 40 minutes.

The Oil Kings weren't without their chances in the period to expand on their lead, but Holt came up with five tough saves on Landon Hanson, Matthew Gallant, Roan Woodward, Gavin Hodnett and John Szabo throughout the period.

In the third period, the Oil Kings were able to breakthrough and retake the lead after Skyler Bruce and Smyth Rebman scored goals less than two minutes apart just past the midway mark of the period.

Bruce's goal was setup by a great backdoor saucer pass from Gallant that landed perfectly on the tape of Bruce for him to knock home his 11th of the year.

Rebman then gave Edmonton the lead with his third goal of the season after backhanding in a rebound in front of the Victoria net off a Marshall Finnie shot but the Royals answered back less than minute later as Cole Reschny found the back of the net to tie the game at three sending it to overtime.

In overtime, Kipkie collected his second of the night on a great individual effort to give the Royals the 4-3 win.

Perry finished the night making 30 saves for the Oil Kings, while Holt turned in 26 for the Royals. Edmonton went 0-for-3 on the power play, Victoria was 0-for-2.

Next up, the Oil Kings continue their road trip on New Year's Day in Everett when they battle the Silvertips at 2:00 P.M. MT. You can catch all the action on the Oil Kings Radio Network, iHeartRadio Canada.

The Edmonton Oil Kings next home game is Thursday, January 11 when they welcome the Tri-City Americans to Rogers Place at 7:00 P.M.

The Oil Kings are Edmonton's first choice for family fun with great seats starting at $20 and season seats for as low as $9 per-game for an entire season of thrilling WHL action!

Head to OilKings.ca to secure your seat today!

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Western Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2023


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