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WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Piluso Scores OT Winner as Oil Kings Tame Bruins

November 10, 2010 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


Chilliwack, B.C. - The Edmonton Oil Kings may have been playing the Bruins on Tuesday night in Chilliwack, but the WHL contest was more of a dog fight, as the teams battled back and forth all night with Edmonton finally prevailing 4-3 in overtime.

Oil Kings 20-year-old forward Mike Piluso scored the thrilling overtime winner just 1:36 into the extra frame to give the visitors their second straight win, as their record on the season improved to 7-10-0-1. The Oil Kings are now three games into their six-game road trip, with a pair of wins to show for their efforts.

Piluso took a feed from Josh Lazowski and burst down the right wing, snapping a wrist shot from a bad angle past Bruins goalie Lucas Gore for the overtime winner. It was only the second shot of the four-on-four frame and Piluso's fifth goal of the season.

Following up on a dominant 7-3 win over the Prince George Cougars on Saturday night, the Oil Kings got off to a strong start on Tuesday, taking a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. T.C. Cratsenberg made it 1-0 Bruins on a breakaway, but Michael St. Croix's team-leading 10th of the season and a power-play marker by Lazowski gave the Oil Kings the lead.

Roman Horak tied it up for the Bruins just 13 seconds into the middle frame, but Oil Kings defenceman Ryan Dech scored his first career WHL goal late in the period to put his team up 3-2. Steven Hodges forced OT with the only goal of the third period, just 1:36 into the frame.

Edmonton goalie Jon Groenheyde picked up his second straight win and second win with the Oil Kings, as he was acquired on Thursday from the Kamloops Blazers in exchange for Cam Lanigan. Groenheyde only needed to make 16 saves to pick up the win, as Edmonton outshot Chilliwack 33-19.

The Oil Kings don't get any time to rest, as their next game and fourth of the six-game road trip is Wednesday night in Kelowna against the Rockets at 8 p.m. MT. They venture further south to play the Chiefs on Spokane on Friday, and the trip concludes on Saturday against the Ice in Kootenay. The Oil Kings finally return home to Rexall Place to play the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.

Individual game tickets for all Oil Kings home games are on sale now and start at just $15 in the ATB Financial Zone. Season seats start at less than $9 per game, with the addition of some new Mini-Packs and Flex Plans this season as well. Tickets are available at any Ticketmaster outlet, online at oilkings.ca, or by calling 780-414-GOAL (4625).

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