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WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Preview: Oil Kings at Victoria Royals

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


EDMONTON OIL KINGS (11-20-0-1) @ VICTORIA ROYALS (21-13-0-2) - DECEMBER 30, 2023 - SAVE-ON-FOODS MEMORIAL ARENA - 7:00 PM

2023-24 Schedule vs. Victoria Royals

Friday, Dec 30 @ Victoria

2022-23 vs. Victoria: 1-0-0-0 Home: 1-0-0-0 Away: 0-0-0-0 PP: 1/3 (33.3%) PK: 1/4 (75.0%)

All-Time vs. Victoria: 10-15-3-0 Home: 6-8-2-0 Away: 4-7-1-0 PP: 20/109 (18.3%) PK: 23/115 (80.0%)

Matchup Notes

Tonight marks the first and only meeting of the season between the Oil Kings and Royals.

Last season, the Oil Kings picked up a 4-3 overtime win over the Royals in their lone matchup on November 4, 2022 at Rogers Place. Luca Hauf, Dawson Seitz, Carson Golder and Rhett Melnyk had the Edmonton tallies, while Jake Poole, Alex Edwards and Anthony Wilson provided the Royals offence. Kolby Hay made 29 saves for the win, while Tyler Palmer also turned in 29 stops in the losing cause.

The Oil Kings last visit to the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre was November 22, 2019 (1,499 days ago). The Royals picked up a 5-3 win on that night after getting three third period goals to erase a 3-2 deficit. Carter Souch, Riley Sawchuk and Liam Keeler scored for Edmonton.

The Oil Kings have lost their last two visits to Victoria with their last win coming nearly six years ago on February 14, 2018 after Tomas Soustal ended a wild 7-6 game with a shootout winner after counting for two goals and an assist through regulation time.

Coming In

The Oil Kings come in riding a three-game win streak, their first since the end of the 2021-22 regular season, after a 5-3 win in Vancouver last night over the Giants.

Ty Nash scored his fourth goal in the last two games to open the scoring late in the first period of what turned into a seesaw affair. After the Giants went up 2-1 early in the second period, the Oil Kings responded with two goals 30 seconds apart from Marc Lajoie and Andrej Tomasec, the first of his WHL career in his first game as an Oil King, to regain the lead. After the Giants tied it late in the second period, Gracy Sawchyn, also making his Oil Kings debut, pulled the Oil Kings ahead for a third and final time with a power play marker in the third period. Marshall Finnie scored his team leading 12th goal into the empty net. Matthew Gallant had two assists for his third multi-point game of the season and first as an Oil King. Kolby Hay made 22 saves for his 10th win of the season and third straight.

The Royals come in off a 3-2 loss on Thursday night in Wenatchee against the Wild, ending their three-game win streak. They are 7-2-0-0 in their last nine games. The Royals currently sit second place in the B.C. Division with a record of 21-13-0-2.

EOK Notables

Oil Kings defenceman Marc Lajoie sits 9th in defenceman points (27), second in defenceman goals (11) and first in defenceman PP goals (7) in the WHL.

With his seven power play goals, Lajoie ranks 3rd all-time amongst Oil Kings defencemen for PP goals in a single season, tied with Aaron Irving (7, 2015-16), Cody Corbett (7, 2013-14) and trailing only Conner McDonald (8, 2018-19) and Simon Kubicek (9, 2021-22).

Adam Jecho ranks 10th in WHL rookie scoring with 19 points (9G, 10A) in just 21 games.

The Oil Kings have killed off 40 of the last 46 penalties they've taken over the past 14 games (87.0%). The Oil Kings PP has gone 21 for its last 77 over the past 18 games (27.3%) and has 23 goals in its last 20 games.

The Oil Kings lead the WHL in attendance (5,642 avg.).

VIC Notables

James Patrick was named head coach of the Royals on November 6, 2023. In 20 games with the former Winnipeg ICE coach behind the bench, the Royals have gone 13-6-0-1.

The Royals have two players currently at the 2024 World Junior Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden with Robin Sapousek representing Czechia and Casper Evensen Haugen with Norway.

Cole Reschny sits 2nd amongst all WHL rookies in scoring this season with 30 points in 31 games and second in goals with 13.

The Royals possess two defenceman in the top 20 WHL defenceman scorers this season in Nate Misskey (30pts) and Justin Kipkie (26pts).

Milestone Watch

G Kolby Hay is 2 games away from 100 career WHL games.

F Mason Finley is 2 games away from 100 career games as an Oil King.

F Marshall Finnie is 4 games away from 100 career WHL games.

F Gavin Hodnett is 9 games away from 100 career WHL games.

Lineup Report

D Rhys Pederson, lower-body, day-to-day (Games missed: 17).

D Ethan MacKenzie, upper-body, month-to-month (Games missed: 13).

D Reid Larson, lower-body, month-to-month (Games missed: 8).

F Mason Finley, lower-body, TBD (Games missed: 1).

Streaks

F Marshall Finnie is on a 6-game point streak (5g-1a-6pts) and a 4-game goal streak (4G).

F Gavin Hodnett is on a 6-game point streak (2g-7a-9pts).

D Marc Lajoie is on a 4-game assist/point streak (1g-4a-5pts).

F Ty Nash is on a 2-game goal/assist/point streak (4g-2a-6pts).

F Roan Woodward is on a 2-game assist streak (0g-2a-2pts).

F Joe Iginla is on a 2-game point streak (1g-1a-2pts).

Who's Hot

F Gavin Hodnett has 27 points (5G, 22A) in his last 21 games.

D Marc Lajoie has 20 points (8G, 12A) in his last 20 games.

F Skyler Bruce has 18 points (10G, 8A) in his last 17 games.

F Roan Woodward has 10 points (4G, 6A) in his last 14 games.

F Ty Nash has 15 points (8G, 7A) in his last 10 games.

F Marshall Finnie has 10 points (6G, 4A) in his last 10 games.

F Adam Jecho has 9 points (4G, 5A) in his last 9 games.

F Gracyn Sawchyn has 6 points (2G, 4A) in his last 6 games.

D Matthew Gallant has 3 points (0G, 3A) in his last 4 games.

Check out the Edmonton Oil Kings Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2023


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