Warriors' Third Period, Three-Goal Outburst Sinks Oil Kings
Published on January 17, 2010 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Edmonton Oil Kings News Release
MOOSE JAW, SK- The last time the Edmonton Oil Kings played in Moose Jaw, they suffered their worst loss in franchise history, losing 11-2 back on Dec.11. They tried desperately to erase that from their memory in their next meeting against Moose Jaw.
For the first two periods they looked well on their way of exacting some revenge from that tough loss before, but the Warriors struck for three quick goals just 2:39 apart in the third period and the Oil Kings fell 5-3 to Moose Jaw on Sunday evening.
"It's a matter of playing 60 minutes of hockey," said Oil Kings head coach Steve Pleau.
"We turned the puck over in the third period and we didn't get pucks deep enough, and that cost us in the third.
"It's tough to swallow, because you want to win every game. We feel we are improving, but we are here to win hockey games, and we aren't doing that right now, but we have to stick together and find ways to pull ourselves out of this."
Moose Jaw holds the best power play in the WHL, and the Oil Kings did a fantastic job shutting their potent power play down as the Warriors finished 0 for 3 on the night.
It was the Oil Kings, who did the damage early on the power play. Trailing 1-0 early in the first period, T.J. Foster would jam home a loose puck in the crease to score his fourth goal of the season to tie it 1-1.
They would take a 2-1 lead late in the opening frame as Mike Piluso would score his first goal as an Oil King after coming over at the trade deadline. The 19-year-old would jump all over a rebound from a Keegan Lowe shot and score his 10th goal of the season.
Their offence came up big in the first, and goaltender Cam Lanigan shut the door in the second period, but their power play that looked so dangerous in the first two periods misfired in the third period, leading to the three-goal outburst from the Warriors in the third.
Edmonton would have a two-man advantage for over a minute that carried over into the third period and they also had a four minute power play midway through the third.
They generated a lot of chances, but they were robbed by Warriors goaltender Brandon Glover on one opportunity and hit the cross-bar on a second opportunity.
"Our power play is a work in progress," said Pleau.
"Garry Nunn was dynamic on the power play and he created a lot of chances for us.
"We didn't capitalize early in the third and they upped their intensity level, and it caused us to turn the puck over. We allowed them to get the jump on us."
Dylan McIlrath and Spencer Edwards would do all the damage in the third period as they scored two goals each. McIlrath scored the game winner. Quinton Howden opened the scoring for the Warriors just 1:11 in.
Robin Soudek would score his sixth goal of the season with just 13 seconds left. Oil Kings forward Sebastian Svendsen would earn his first point as an Oil King with an assist on Soudek's goal.
The loss is the Oil Kings 11th in a row (0-8-3) and it drops their record to 10-27-4-7 on the year.
The Oil Kings are now off until Friday, January 22nd when they head to Lethbridge to take on the Hurricanes. They will then have a home-and-home series with the Medicine Hat Tigers beginning Saturday, January, 23rd in Medicine Hat and then they'll host the Tigers on Sunday, January, 24th at Rexall Place.
Western Hockey League Stories from January 17, 2010
- Warriors' Third Period, Three-Goal Outburst Sinks Oil Kings - Edmonton Oil Kings
- 'Tips Rally In Overtime To Win Ninth Straight, 4-3 - Everett Silvertips
- Calgary Hitmen Fall 3-1 To Kootenay Ice - Calgary Hitmen
- Wheat Kings Roll Past Oil Kings - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Lazo, Wilgosh Power Americans Past Portland 6-2 - Tri-City Americans
- Hitmen blank Lethbridge - Calgary Hitmen
- Red Deer Rebels and Your Chilliwack Bruins Tonight at Prospera Centre - Chilliwack Bruins
- Blazers Trip Up T-Birds - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Everett Pushes Win Streak To Eight, Defeats Chilliwack - Everett Silvertips
- Hurricanes "Pink in the Rink" raises $23,000 for Canadian Cancer Society - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Portland Winterhawks Fall 6-2 to Tri-Cities In Final Game of Road Trip - Portland Winterhawks
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