The Edmonton Oil Kings kicked off a four-game road trip this week, but it didn’t unfold the way they had hoped. After spending most of the season bending road games to their will, the Oil Kings ran into a stretch where nothing came easy and every building pushed back. A team that had finally started to look healthy once again found itself battling injuries and illness, with the depth chart in constant motion and the lineup changing almost nightly.
Wednesday saw the Oil Kings take an early third-period lead at the Saddledome for the second consecutive time, only for the final ten minutes to swing the game back in Calgary’s favor. With the Hitmen closing the gap between third and fourth place in the standings, this was a game Edmonton badly wanted to bank. Instead, they were left with another frustrating result against a division rival that continues to have their number.
Friday night in Moose Jaw brought more challenges. Edmonton struggled defensively and the Warriors capitalized early and often. The third period devolved into a lot of rough stuff, effectively stalling any momentum the Oil Kings tried to build and preventing a true comeback from ever fully materializing. Saturday in Swift Current finally brought Edmonton’s scoring touch back, but once again the physical intensity bled into a game they were otherwise controlling. Penalties piled up, tempers flared, and what should have been a comfortable night turned into another test of discipline.
With the road trip wrapping up Wednesday night in Medicine Hat, and the Oil Kings currently struggling to ice a full lineup, they could be in for another long evening against a Tigers team that dominated them at Co-op Place just a few weeks ago. Friday night the team is back home for Louie’s Birthday Bash, and a rematch with those Moose Jaw Warriors.
A couple big matchups this week, but before we get there, let’s catch up on what you may have missed in the last week.
Team Stats
The special teams discussion will continue to dominate our team discussion, as it continues to be such an important piece of the Oil Kings game. After an 0 for 4 performance against Calgary, the power play responded in a big way with 3 goals in each of the Moose Jaw and Swift Current games. They finish the week 6 for 17, and have climbed up to a 21.7% success rate on the year. The top unit looks like it’s developed some consistency in the absence of Miroslav Holinka, as Lukas Sawchyn, Andrew O’Neill, Gavin Hodnett, Ethan MacKenzie, and Carter Sotheran all had multi-point performances on the man advantage.
The Penalty Kill struggled this week, largely on the back of a difficult performance killing only 1 of 4 penalties in Moose Jaw. Stronger showings against Calgary and Swift Current helped them still put forth a respectable 7 kills on 11 opportunities. The struggle against Moose Jaw has knocked the team down a step, and now sit at 80.5% on the Penalty Kill for the year.
Edmonton finished the week 1-2-0-0 as the road trip continued to test them. Wednesday’s loss in Calgary was tightly contested throughout, with both teams trading chances. Julien Maze seemed destined to score, ringing two shots off the post and being denied on a breakaway twice by Simcoe before finally finding the eventual game-winner. Friday in Moose Jaw, the Warriors set the tone just 22 seconds into the game and never let Edmonton get comfortable. Despite firing 36 shots, every comeback push was stalled before it could gain traction. Saturday in Swift Current flipped the script, as Aaron Obobaifo scored just 22 seconds into the game and Edmonton spent much of the night doing to the Broncos what Moose Jaw had done to them the night before. They finished the week still entrenched in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, now 5 points back of the Medicine Hat Tigers and 9 points back of the Prince Albert Raiders.
First up this week, a battle with those same Tigers in Medicine Hat, the Oil Kings look for redemption for the 7-3 beating from last time they were here. Friday Night, everyone in the arena at Rogers Place will be celebrating the birthday of the beloved mascot Louie the Lion, and the team on the ice will be looking to give Louie the best present of all with a victory over the Warriors. After that 7-5 battle in Moose Jaw last week, Edmonton will surely be motivated for payback against the Warriors.
Player Stats - Leaders
Captain Gavin Hodnett led the way offensively this week, piling up 8 points over 3 games. He is now riding a 6-game point streak for the second time since returning from injury and continues to set the tone for Edmonton’s attack.
The power-play surge lifted several players, as Sawchyn finished with 7 points, Ethan MacKenzie added 5, and both Andrew O’Neill and Carter Sotheran chipped in 4. Landon Hanson also recorded 4 points and tied MacKenzie for the team lead in goals on the week with 3.
Lukas Sawchyn has a 4-game point streak dating back to last week, while Mackenzie, Hanson, and Blake Fiddler all had points in each game this week to sit themselves at 3-game point streaks heading into Medicine Hat.
Rhys Pederson made his return after a couple games away, and provided an assist on Wednesday for his first point since October 4th. Adam Jecho was reportedly out with an illness for the week, and will hopefully feel better soon.
Parker Snell had a very rough week, as he drew the assignment against Moose Jaw and struggled through 40 minutes before being relieved by Ethan Simcoe in the third period. He stopped 15 of 20 shots he faced, but ultimately did not record the decision as Edmonton managed 5 goals, resulting in the loss going to Simcoe for allowing the sixth goal of the game. Snell now has a .882 Sv% and a 3.03 GAA for the season, with a 13-6-1-0 record.
The loss is unfortunate for Simcoe’s overall record, but his stats for the week were acceptable overall. With 3 goals on 26 shots against Calgary, 1 goal on 9 shots against Moose Jaw in relief, and 3 goals on 19 shots against Swift Current, Simcoe’s save percentage may not look great but he’s still giving the team an opportunity to win every night. He now has a 19-5-2-2 record for the season, with a .896 Sv% and a 2.71 GAA for the year. With all the shifting pieces in the lineup, Simcoe has done his best to remain reliable while the rest of the team tries to adapt and play their game in front of him.
Milestones
Not much happening in the way of milestones this week. Aaron Obobaifo’s goal 22 seconds into Saturday’s game against Swift Current is his first since joining the Oil Kings. The lineup blender has finally found him a place to contribute, and we look forward to many more from Obobaifo. Saturday’s game for Kayson Anderson was his first career WHL Game. He filled in on the third defense pairing for an absent Noa Ta’amu, and finished the game with a plus-1 rating.
Injury Updates
A lot of pieces going down and out this week, resulting in an increase to this list again.
- Luke Powell continues to be out indefinitely with a listed Upper body injury. He has not played since November 2nd against the Swift Current Broncos.
- Max Curran continues to be out with a listed upper body injury after leaving the January 14th game clutching his arm/wrist. He was listed as month-to-month with an upper-body injury.
- Miroslav Holinka last played January 25th, and left the game after a pretty innocent looking sequence. He is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury
- Adam Jecho is day-to-day with an illness, he last played on January 21st against Regina.
- Austin Zemlak returned to action on Saturday in Moose Jaw, after missing Wednesday with an upper-body injury. He left early again in Moose Jaw and is now listed as day to day with a lower body injury.
- Noa Ta’amu also last played against Moose Jaw and is also listed as day-to-day with a lower body injury.
- Jaxon Fuder will be away for both games this week, for Suspension instead of injury. He was given a 3-game suspension after a Checking to the Head infraction in Moose Jaw on Friday. Saturday was the first game served, and this week will complete his suspension.
Roil Reserves
The big news from the reserves this week was the call-up and immediate debut of 2024 third-round WHL Prospect, Kayson Anderson. Anderson played his debut in Swift Current and looked steady and reliable alongside Josh Lee in limited minutes. He hadn’t played any games in the week prior to joining Edmonton, but did get back into action for Estevan’s game last night. He now has 32 points in 35 games in the SMAAAHL.
Breaking news on today’s roster report appears that Jensen Marsh (AJHL) and Matheas Hejda (CSSHL) have been called up today and should be expected to join the Oil Kings in Medicine Hat tomorrow night. Marsh has added 1 assist to his stats with the Drumheller Dragons over the last week, bringing his AJHL season total to 21 points in 32 games. Hejda also added an assist to his totals this week, bringing his CSSHL season to 13 points in 25 games for the Northern Alberta Xtreme.
Reserve Pulse Check:
- Tucker Tullikopf added 2 assists to his total over 2 games this week with the Camrose Kodiaks. He’s now up to 42 points through 40 games this year.
- Presley Kerner provided 1 assist for the Olds Grizzlys in their lone game this week, bringing his personal totals to 12 points through 33 games for the last place Grizzlys
- Holden Wouters had a quiet end to the month, as St. George's had a break in their schedule. They have not played a game since January 23rd. Wouters remains at 15 points over 19 games.
- Christopher Kokkoris has looked really impressive since returning to the lineup for Yale Hockey Academy this month. He added another 2 points in 1 game this week, bringing his total to 5 points in 4 games since returning to the lineup, and 7 points in 8 games played for the season.
- Cole Landreville’s absence has extended 3 games now, as Pilot Mound played 2 games this week without the Oil Kings 2nd round draft pick in the lineup. He has 18 points in 17 games this season.
- Recently signed Zeke Kaebel did not have any games this week for the Dallas Stars 16U, he’s still sitting at 80 points through 53 games.
- Carter Nash also did not play this week. He remains at a 38-12-0 record with 9 shutouts over 46 starts for the Honeybaked 15U AAA program, and a spectacular 1.83 GAA.
The road trip finishes up in Medicine Hat Wednesday, with what may be a patchwork lineup for the third consecutive trip to the Tigers building. Heading Home for Friday should give the team some opportunity to recuperate as they prepare for a rematch with Moose Jaw to start a stretch including 4 of their next 5 games at Rogers Place.
Things to watch for:
- Miroslav Holinka’s chase of the single-season goals by an Import record, currently held by Edgars Kulda, remains stuck at 2 away as Holinka is sidelined by injury
- Holinka is also now tied for first in most shorthanded goals in a season for the Oil Kings, 1 more will give him the record.
- Holinka, Landon Hanson, and Gavin Hodnett each have 4 career shorthanded goals, and sit 2 away from the Franchise record of 6.
- Ethan MacKenzie is the next Oil King eying a major points milestone. With a 5 point week he is now at 94 career points, as his current pace has him headed towards his 100th point in the very near future. Could he hit it this week?