CHL TV Game of the Week presented by Kubota | 3 Reasons to Watch – Oil Kings vs. Wheat Kings
The CHL TV Game of the Week presented by Kubota brings a weekly free game to CHL TV throughout the 2021-22 regular season. The action continues Thursday as the Edmonton Oil Kings visit the Brandon Wheat Kings with puck drop set for 7 p.m. Central.
To get you ready, here are three reasons why this WHL showdown is must-see TV:
Moment of opportunity
With top NHL drafted talents like Dylan Guenther (Arizona Coyotes), Jake Neighbours (St. Louis Blues), Kaiden Guhle (Montreal Canadiens), and goaltender Sebastian Cossa (Detroit Red Wings), among others, away from the team due to the World Juniors, in their absence the Oil Kings’ next wave of talent has plenty of opportunity before them. Among that group is veteran left-wing and Chicago Blackhawks draftee Jalen Luypen who enters Thursday’s contest riding a four-game point streak highlighted by a two-goal, two-assist showing coming in Monday’s 6-5 final versus Regina. Meanwhile, the back end sees a greater challenge for Nashville Predators up-and-comer Luke Prokop who since joining the Oil Kings in mid-October has continued to round out the offensive side of his game to the tune of six goals and nine assists through 24 appearances.
Jalen Luypen drives to the net to score his second of the night! 🚨🚨@TSNHockey | @EdmOilKings | @NHLBlackhawks pic.twitter.com/ljIvD3XUFn
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) December 28, 2021
The next wave
While it is longtime Wheat Kings like Nolan Ritchie and Ridly Greig who lead the squad, the next wave is around the corner in promising forwards Rylen Roersma and Zakhar Polshakov. Beginning with the former, Roersma is skating in his second season with Brandon and has already made impressive offensive strides in producing just shy of a half-point per game. Originally chosen by the Wheat Kings 16th overall in the 2019 WHL Draft, Roersma is noted for his full-arsenal offensive skill set and an evolved two-way game not often seen from players of his age group. Polshakov, meanwhile, has made a seamless transition to Brandon where following his opening round selection in the 2021 CHL Import Draft the Belarusian-born centre has made 21 appearances while collecting 15 points, including one goal and six assists in his past five outings.
📽️ HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT 📽️
A nifty setup, and a nifty finish by 2022 #NHLDraft prospect Zakhar Polshakov!@bdnwheatkings | #WHLHoN pic.twitter.com/FkOgkTkBe7
— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 18, 2021
Rivalry renewed
The third of four meetups this season, the past two square-offs between the Oil Kings and Wheat Kings have proven to be must-see affairs, and Thursday’s aims to be no different. In late October, Edmonton came out on top in a 9-2 rout that saw the squad dominate on special teams with two each in the power-play and short-handed goal columns, before Luypen, Guenther, and four teammates wrapped up the night with multi-point showings. The two sides then reconnected earlier this month that saw Brandon turn the tables on nationally ranked Edmonton by coming away with a 3-2 victory in which 2003-born forward Brett Hyland played the hero in netting the eventual game winner midway through the final frame, while overage netminder Ethan Kruger turned aside a season high of 40 shots en route to the big win. Following Thursday’s match, the two sides will close out their four-game season series in Edmonton on January 15.
Feel free to start calling Brett Hyland "The Flash." ⚡@bdnwheatkings pic.twitter.com/T5i1IFNvmz
— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 11, 2021