WHL Edmonton Oil Kings

Solid Road Effort Comes up Short as Oil Kings Fall to Blazers

Published on November 28, 2019 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release


It was a game the Edmonton Oil Kings wanted to win to round out their five-game BC road trip, but a hard-fought effort by the visitors fell just short on Wednesday night.

The Oil Kings (15-6-4-2) led 3-1 in the second period, but four unanswered goals by the Kamloops Blazers (16-9-0-0) ended in a 5-3 win for the hosts in front of 3,485 fans at the Sandman Centre.

Overagers Ethan McIndoe (1G, 1A) and Riley Sawchuk (2A) each had two-point efforts for the Oil Kings, who wrapped up the road trip with a 2-2-1-0 record.

Jake Neighbours and David Kope were the other goal scorers on the night for Edmonton, while Todd Scott (7-4-4-1) suffered the loss, surrendering four goals on 31 shots, making 27 saves.

Dylan Garand (14-8-0-0) picked up the win, making 27 of 20 saves.

The Blazers took a 1-0 lead just 2:25 into the opening frame, but the Oil Kings would respond in the tail end of the period.

On the power play Edmonton commanded their possession in the offensive zone, corralled by Matthew Robertson who dished the puck to Sawchuk at the point, who fired it on net and was tipped by McIndoe - his fourth of the season - to make it a 1-1 game at the 14:00 minute mark.

Just over a minute and a half later the Oil Kings took the lead, as Neighbours buried a pass from Sawchuk on a 2-on-1 to make it 2-1 Edmonton at 15:39, with Dylan Guenther picking up the secondary assist.

Shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes were a 10-10 stalemate.

In the second, the Oil Kings added to their lead as Kope produced a turnover at centre ice to score his seventh of the season, with McIndoe earning the lone helper at 5:08 to make it a 3-1 game.

From thereon out, however, it was all Blazers as the home team tallied four straight goals en route to the win.

Kamloops closed out the second period with a pair of even strength goals at 7:10 and 14:03, before a power play goal at 4:30 of the third period and a dagger at 18:33 into an empty net rounded out the game's scoring.

Shots on goal in the second period favoured the Blazers, 14-10, and the Oil Kings, 10-8, in the third for a game total of 32-20, Kamloops.

Kamloops was 1-for-5 on the power play, while Edmonton was 1-for-3 with the man advantage.

Logan Stankoven (KAM) (3), Josh Pillar (KAM) (2), and Max Martin (KAM) (1) were selected as the Three Stars of the Game.

Wyatt McLeod, Matthew Robertson and Ethan Cap each wore an "A" and skated as alternate captains to Scott Atkinson.

The Oil Kings return home to Rogers Place after the five-game, BC road trip to host the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday, November 30 at 2:00 PM MT. They continue their weekend the next day when they host the Regina Pats at 4:00 PM MT for Family Fun Sunday at Rogers Place.

EOK365 Season Seat Memberships, Five-Star Plans, Flex Packs and single game tickets are available for every Edmonton Oil Kings game this season. Ticket packages start at just $99 per seat, and single game tickets are as low as $20. Call 780-414-GOAL (4625), email sales@oilkings.ca or visit OilKings.ca for more information.

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Western Hockey League Stories from November 28, 2019


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