GAME SUMMARY: Guenther ties franchise record; Oil Kings dispatch Hitmen
Calgary, AB – The Edmonton Oil Kings (48-14-3-1) scored four unanswered goals Sunday afternoon as they skated to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Hitmen (25-33-6-2) at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
A tight-checking first period saw the Oil Kings and Hitmen enter the first intermission in a 1-1 deadlock.
The home side got on the board first just before the midway mark of the frame as Zac Funk pounced on a rebound in the left-wing circle and one timed the puck into the back of the net.
The Oil Kings answered back less than five minutes later as Dylan Guenther and Jake Neighbours found themselves on a two-on-one rush and Guenther would make a perfect pass to the Oil Kings captain on the backdoor where he ripped home his 16th goal of the season, extending his point streak to 15 games.
In the second period, the Oil Kings would take the game over firing 17 shots on goal and finding the back of the net with two of them to take a 3-1 lead into the second intermission.
Justin Sourdif staked Edmonton to their first lead of the game with his 26th goal of the season, 17th as an Oil King, just 37 seconds into the middle stanza as he redirected a point shot from Logan Dowhaniuk past Hitmen goaltender Ethan Buenaventura.
Jaxsen Wiebe increased the lead to two at 8:17 of the period after he stripped a Calgary defenceman of the puck in the right-wing circle, walked to the slot, lasered a shot over the right shoulder of Buenaventura and off the cross-bar and in for his 10th of the year.
In the third period, Sebastian Cossa barred the door stopping all eight shots thrown his way while Guenther would put the game out of reach with an empty-net goal in the final minute. The goal was Guenther’s 45th of the season, tying the Oil Kings franchise record for goals in a single-season held by Michael St. Croix.
Cossa finished the night with 28 saves for his 32nd win of the season and 70th of his career, while Buenaventura made 37 saves in the losing cause. The Oil Kings went 0-for-2 on the power play, the Hitmen were 0-for-5.
Next up, the Oil Kings travel to Medicine Hat on Friday to take on the Tigers at 7:00 PM, you can listen to the game at oilkings.ca/radio.
NOTES
- The Oil Kings reached 100 points in a season for the fourth time in franchise history. (2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2021-22).
- Jake Neighbours is now on a 15-game point streak (10G, 15A).
- Justin Sourdif is now on a four-game point streak (5G, 4A).
- Dylan Guenther is now on a four-game point streak (4G, 5A).
- Jaxsen Wiebe is now on a three-game point streak (2G, 2A).
Edmonton Oil Kings Playoff Passes are on-sale now. For only $129/seat, you get access to every Oil Kings home playoff game. To purchase, click here.
The Oil Kings next home will be Thursday, April 21 at 7:00 PM as they open the 2022 WHL Playoffs against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
