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WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Oil Kings Flip Script for First Win

October 4, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


EDMONTON, ALTA. - The Edmonton Oil Kings flipped the script Sunday afternoon in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Swift Current Broncos at Rexall Place.

After suffering heartbreaking power-play goals against with 20 seconds remaining last Sunday against Red Deer and with 1:31 to play Friday against Kelowna, this time it was Edmonton's turn for some late game heroics. Dysin Mayo scored a power-play goal with the goalie out and 1:24 left in regulation, and Brett Pollock notched the overtime winner as the Oil Kings (1-2-1-0) topped the Broncos (1-2-1-0) for their first win of the season.

"It feels good. It's a sigh of relief," said Pollock. "Being on the other side of that ... it feels good."

"We were happy with our game as it progressed. We just asked our guys to keep at it, stay patient," said Oil Kings head coach Steve Hamilton.

After being called out as needing to be better after Friday's game by Hamilton, the Oil Kings penalty kill rose to the occasion Sunday, killing all five Swift Current power plays, including a full two-minutes of four-on-three action in overtime.

"We tweaked a few things in what we were trying to accomplish, and we asked the guys to get their motor running right away ... . We wanted to be highly aggressive and push the tempo," Hamilton said. "We mixed in some new blood on the PK tonight - we had Koch and Klatt killing and Colton Kehler as well - and I thought that gave us an infusion of energy."

Swift Current jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Brandan Arnold opened the scoring for the Broncos and Jake DeBrusk added another midway through the second. From there, the Oil Kings took control, outshooting Swift Current 21-9 in the second period and 20-8 in the third as they pushed to tie. Luke Bertolucci put the Oil Kings on the board 12:37 into the second as he whacked a rebound into the Broncos net, and Mayo forced overtime, taking advice from Oil Kings netminder Alec Dillon on a point shot through traffic that beat Broncos goalie Landon Bow.

"Alec came and told me what to do (on the timeout called before the power play started). I just kept walking until I had an opening," Mayo said.

"The scouting report on Bow is just to shoot through traffic, so I just said, 'If you see an opening, shoot it on him.' Luckily it went through," Dillon explained. "I knew when I said it to him, he was going to smirk at me, and I gave him a smirk when I went back to the bench."

"I love it. I love that our goalie is talking to our shooters about scoring; that's hockey savvy," Hamilton added. "He skated over right before the game-tying goal and said, 'We just killed all these penalties for a reason. Let's tie it up.' I love the energy. He's emotionally involved in the game."

In the overtime period, the Oil Kings opened with two minutes to kill as the Broncos pressed, but had a chance off the rush once the penalty was finished that forced a faceoff in the Swift Current zone. The Oil Kings controlled the puck off that draw, and Pollock wired a shot from the left circle that beat Bow high on the blocker side for the winner.

Pollock and Mayo finished with a goal and an assist each, while Lane Bauer picked up an assist to give him points in three straight.

Dillon finished with 28 saves for his first career victory, while Bow made 50 in a losing effort for the Broncos.

The Oil Kings now hit the road as they'll open a four-game East Division road trip Friday in Moose Jaw.

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