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WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Preview: Oil Kings vs. Regina Pats

December 17, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


EDMONTON OIL KINGS (8-20-0-1) vs. REGINA PATS (13-16-1-2) - December 15, 2023 - Rogers Place - 7:00 PM

2023-24 Schedule vs. Regina Pats

Wednesday, Nov 15 @ Regina (6-1 EDM)

Friday, Nov 24 @ Edmonton (4-2 EDM)

Sunday, Dec 17 @ Edmonton

Saturday, Feb 10 @ Regina

2023-24 vs. Regina: 2-0-0-0 Home: 1-0-0-0 Away: 1-0-0-0 PP: 2/7 (28.6%) PK: 0/7 (100.0%)

2022-23 vs. Regina: 1-2-1-0 Home: 0-1-1-0 Away: 1-1-0-0 PP: 4/14 (28.6%) PK: 5/21 (76.2%)

Matchup Notes

Tonight marks the third of four meetings between the Oil Kings and Pats this season.

The Oil Kings have taken the first two games of the season series after a 6-1 win in Regina just over a month ago and then a thrilling 4-2 third period come-from-behind win just over three weeks ago at Rogers Place after getting four unanswered goals from John Szabo, Skyler Bruce, Marc Lajoie and Ty Nash in the final 7:37 of the game.

Gavin Hodnett (0G, 5A) leads all Oil Kings skaters in scoring vs. Regina this year with five points in two games while Skyler Bruce (2G, 1A), Ty Nash (2G, 1A) and John Szabo (2G, 1A) each have three points in two games. Kolby Hay is 2-0-0-0 against the Pats with a 1.50gaa and .948sv%.

All-time, the Oil King and Pats have met 62 times in the regular season with the Oil Kings holding a record of 29-29-3-1.

Coming In

The Oil Kings come in off 6-3 loss to the Swift Current Broncos on Friday night, they have now lost four straight games.

In the loss, the Oil Kings got a goal and an assist each from Marc Lajoie and Ty Nash, their fifth and fourth multi-point games respectively this season and Marshall Finnie collected his third goal in his last five games as well.

The Oil Kings went 2-for-4 on the PP, their third multi-PP goal game of the season, and were 3-for-4 on the PK.

The game was also a night of firsts and milestones as Oil Kings prospect Joe Iginla made his WHL debut and recorded his first career WHL point with a first period assist on Finnie's goal. Matthew Gallant collected his first assist and point as an Oil Kings and Carter Kowalyk skated in his 100th career WHL game.

The Pats are coming off a 5-4 shootout loss to the Rebels last night in Red Deer. They were able to salvage a point thanks to late third period goals from Tanner Howe and Borya Valis to erase a 4-2 deficit. The Pats are 2-1-0-2 in their last five games.

EOK Notables

Oil Kings defenceman Marc Lajoie sits 12th in defenceman points (23), second in defenceman goals (10) 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).

The Oil Kings have killed off 34 of the last 39 penalties they've taken over the past 11 games (87.2%). The Oil Kings PP has gone 15 for it's last 62 over the past 15 games (24.2%) and has 17 goals in its last 17 games.

The Oil Kings lead the WHL in attendance (5,593 avg.).

REG Notables

Pats defenceman Parker Berge is tied with Marc Lajoie for second in defenceman goals in the WHL (10) and is sixth in defenceman points in the WHL (34). He has collected nine points (4G, 5A) in his last five games including a hat-trick on December 9 vs. Kelowna.

Pats forward Tanner Howe is riding a six-game point streak (5g-4a-9pts).

Pats forward Borya Valis is riding a six-game point streak (4g-4a-8pts).

Pats forward Sam Oremba is riding a five-game point/assist streak (1g-6a-7pts).

Pats forward Braxton Whitehead is riding a four-game point/assist streak (0g-7a-7pts) and has 15 points (5G, 10A) in his last 11 games.

Milestone Watch

G Kolby Hay is 1 win away from passing Dylan Myskiw and Torrie Jung for 5th most wins in franchise history.

G Kolby Hay is 5 games away from 100 career WHL games.

HC Luke Pierce is 3 games away from his 100th game as Head Coach of the Oil Kings.

F Mason Finley is 4 games away from 100 career games as an Oil King.

Lineup Report

D Rhys Pederson, lower-body, week-to-week (Games missed: 14).

F Rilen Kovacevic, upper-body, week-to-week (Games missed: 11).

D Ethan MacKenzie, upper-body, week-to-week (Games missed: 10).

F Adam Jecho, lower-body, week-to-week (Games missed: 10).

D Reid Larson, lower-body, month-to-month (Games missed: 5).

F Skyler Bruce, lower-body, week-to-week (Games missed: 5).

F Vojtech Port, Team Czechia, World Juniors (Games missed: 1).

Streaks

F Skyler Bruce is on a 4-game point streak (3g-1a-4pts) and a 3-game goal streak (3G).

F Marshall Finnie is on a 3-game point streak (2g-1a-3pts).

F Gavin Hodnett is on a 3-game point streak (1g-2a-3pts).

F Ty Nash is on a 2-game assist/point streak (1g-2a-3pts).

F Roan Woodward is on a 2-game point streak (1g-1a-2pts).

F Adam Jecho is on a 2-game assist/point streak (1g-2a-3pts).

D Vojtech Port is on a 2-game point streak (1g-1a-2pts).

Who's Hot

F Gavin Hodnett has 21 points (4G, 17A) in his last 18 games.

D Marc Lajoie has 16 points (7G, 9A) in his last 17 games.

F Rilen Kovacevic has 10 goals in his last 15 games.

F Skyler Bruce has 15 points (10G, 5A) in his last 15 games.

F Roan Woodward has 8 points (4G, 4A) in his last 11 games.

F Adam Jecho has 8 points (3G, 5A) in his last 7 games.

D Vojtech Port has 7 points (1G, 6A) in his last 7 games.

F Marshall Finnie has 7 points (3G, 4A) in his last 7 games.

Check out the Edmonton Oil Kings Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from December 17, 2023


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