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WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Preview: Oil Kings vs. Lethbridge Hurricanes

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


EDMONTON OIL KINGS (1-1-0-1) vs. LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES (3-0-0-0) - October 1, 2023 - Rogers Place - 4:00 PM

EOK Today - Tickets - Game Notes

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2023-24 Schedule vs. Lethbridge Hurricanes

Friday, September 29 @ Edmonton (4-3SO LET)

Sunday, October 1 @ Edmonton

Monday, October 9 @ Edmonton

Tuesday, January 30 @ Lethbridge

Friday, February 23 @ Lethbridge

Wednesday, March 13 @ Lethbridge

2023-24 vs. Lethbridge: 0-0-0-1 Home: 0-0-0-1 Away: 0-0-0-0 PP: 1/7 (14.3%) PK: 1/5 (80.0%)

2022-23 vs. Lethbridge: 2-4-0-0 Home: 0-3-0-0 Away: 2-1-0-0 PP: 2/21 (9.5%) PK: 7/20 (65.0%)

Who We're Watching

#12 John Szabo

Third-year Oil Kings forward John Szabo is off to a torrid start this season having collected points in all three Oil Kings games thus far. In the season opener he helped setup the game's opening goal from Marshall Finnie, and then did so again the very next night at the Oil Kings home opener. On Friday, the Lethbridge, AB product notched his first goal of the season with a second period shorthanded tally where he muscled a Hurricanes skater off the puck in the neutral zone, streaked into the left-circle and powered a shot through Harrison Meneghin. His current three-game point streak ties his career high which he originally set in February of 2022. Making this all the more impressive is that he is returning to the Edmonton lineup after missing virtually the entire second-half of last season with a lower-body injury.

"It's fantastic to see this start for John and it's perspective a bit - a lot of frustration last year for him as a player both from a production standpoint early on in the season and then an injury that derailed the majority of his year but now he's playing a lot more free, he's enjoying himself, he's working his tail off and we're certainly happy to have him back in our lineup." - Oil Kings Head Coach Luke Pierce

Matchup Notes

Today marks the second of six meetings between the Oil Kings and Hurricanes this season.

Entering today, the Oil Kings and Hurricanes have met 99 times all-time during the regular season with the Oil Kings holding a record of 53-36-2-8.

The Hurricanes opened this season series with a 4-3 shootout win at Rogers Place on Friday night, it was their fourth straight win in Edmonton.

The Oil Kings got a pair of goals from Nathan Pilling, his first career multi-goal game in the WHL, in what was not only his first game back from the Calgary Flames training camp, but also his first game since a season-ending injury on January 10, 2023 (30 games missed). John Szabo also scored for Edmonton with a second period shorthanded tally. Aidan Litke picked up a pair of assists for his second multi-point game already this season. Kolby Hay turned in 31 saves for the Oil Kings.

The Hurricanes offence was supplied by Landen Ward, Tyson Zimmer and Carter Dereniwsky in regulation while Zimmer and Logan Wormald both tallied shootout markers. Harrison Meneghin made 32 stops to help Lethbridge pick up a third straight win to open their season.

The Oil Kings are 1 for their last 22 against the Hurricanes on the power play (5gp), while the Hurricanes are 8 for their last 16 on the power play vs. the Oil Kings (4gp).

Milestone Watch

D Carter Kowalyk is 2 games away from 100 career games.

F Nathan Pilling is 10 games away from 100 career games.

F Ty Nash is 3 goals away from 50 career goals.

D Marc Lajoie is 5 points away from 100 career points.

Lineup Report

F Ty Nash, upper-body, month-to-month (Games missed: 3).

F Gavin Hodnett, upper-body, 2-4 weeks (Games missed: 3).

F Treycen Wuttunee, upper-body, 2-4 weeks (Games missed 3).

D Carter Kowalyk, upper-body, week-to-week (Games missed: 2).

Streaks

F John Szabo is on a 3-game point streak (1G-2A-3PTS).

F Rhett Melnyk is on a 2-game assist and point streak (0G-2A-2PTS).

Who's Hot

F Gavin Hodnett has 25 points (7G, 18A) in his last 33 games and 38 points (12G, 26A) in his last 46 games.*

D Jacob Hoffrogge has 12 points (0G, 12A) in his last 21 games.*

F Rilen Kovacevic has 7 points (3G, 4A) in his last 13 games and 12 points (5G, 7A) in his last 20 games.*

F Mason Finley has 10 points (5G, 5A) in his last 12 games.*

F Ty Nash has 4 points (2G, 2A) in his last 6 games.*

F Marshall Finnie has 4 points (4G, 0A) in his last 4 games.*

F Aidan Litke has 5 points (2G, 3A) in his last 3 games.

D Parker Alcos has 3 points (0G, 3A) in his last 3 games.

*Dating back to last regular season

League Leaders (Last Season)

F Gavin Hodnett finished 8th in the WHL rookie scoring race (43pts) and was the 4th highest scoring 2006-born player.

G Kolby Hay finished 2nd in in the WHL in shots faced (1,679) and 2nd in saves made (1,465).

Edmonton Oil Kings finished 1st in WHL attendance (6,501 avg.)

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