WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Oil Kings Start Road Trip With Upset Win In Everett

November 1, 2008 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


Everett, Wash - The Edmonton Oil Kings may have the hottest goalie in the league right now. Veteran netminder Torrie Jung has stopped 59 of his last 60 shots. He was the difference in Everett Saturday night as Edmonton upset the Silvertips 3 - 1 at Comcast Arena. Craig McCallum scored a pair of goals including the game winner as Edmonton starts their 6 game road trip on the right note and hand the Silvertips their first loss on home ice in 8 starts. With the win the Oil Kings have accomplished something nobody from the Central Division has ever done and that's win a game in Everett. The Kootenay Ice have won twice in that building but it was while they were playing based in the B.C. division.

The Oil Kings struck first courtesy of their second powerplay of the game. Brent Raedeke was working the point with the man advantage and did a good job of keeping the puck alive in the offensive zone. His shot didn't make it through a screen in front but Tomas Vincour found a loose puck and fired a quick shot on net that fooled Edmonton native Kent Simpson. Vincour's 8th gave the Oil Kings the all important first lead of the game.

Veteran goalie Torrie Jung, who hasn't lost a game in regulation time since he was traded to the Oil Kings, picked up where he left off Tuesday when he recorded his second career shutout against the Ice. He had a stellar first period and came up with a pair of huge saves in the last 90 seconds of the period to let his team head into the first intermission with the lead.

Edmonton had a great chance to extend their lead when Chicago Blackhawks prospect Kyle Beach got into some penalty trouble near the end of the first period. He and Oil Kings forward Shayne Neigum started yapping at each other skating down to the Everett zone. Beach gave Neigum a little tug that the ref spotted and gave him the initial hooking penalty. Beach complained and swung his stick in the penalty box giving him the extra unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10 minute misconduct.

The Oil Kings would cash in on the 2 man advantage with fresh ice to start the second period. Brandon Lockerby and Craig McCallum set up at the blue line and played a little catch with the puck until the right shooting lane opened up. Lockerby set up McCallum for the terrific one-timer that went top shelf on Simpson. That made it 2 - 0 and the Oil Kings still had a little powerplay left.

Edmonton didn't score with that man advantage but just as the last penalty expired, McCallum struck again. Brenden Dowd had all kinds of speed and carried the puck behind the Silvertips net right after an Oil Kings scoring chance. Craig McCallum parked himself in front and waited for the Dowd feed down low. McCallum's second of the game and fifth of the year gave the visitors a commanding 3 - 0 lead. Those 2 goals were the first 2 for McCallum in a stretch of 7 games including one where he was a healthy scratch. It's safe to say he's out of his slump now.

Jung's bid for back to back shutouts was spoiled late in the third period by Shane Harper to make the final score 3 - 1.

Edmonton has now picked up points in 4 straight games and their record improves to 8-9-1-1 while the Silvertips snap a 2 game losing streak and their record falls to 8-7-1-0. The schedule toughens up here for the Oil Kings. They have an overnight bus ride to Kelowna ahead of them so they can play the Rockets on Sunday night back in B.C. That game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Edmonton time.

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Western Hockey League Stories from November 1, 2008


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