Oil Kings Fall to Hitmen to Begin Busy Weekend
Calgary, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings had a 3-1 lead evaporate on them on Friday night as they fell 5-3 to the Calgary Hitmen.
Just a couple nights after allowing a goal eight seconds into the game, Edmonton flipped the script on Friday as Blake Fiddler scored his ninth of the year just 15 seconds into the hockey game. Calgary responded though on a powerplay, courtesy of Julien Maze to make it 1-1.
The Oil Kings thought would restore the lead and jump out to a 3-1 advantage with back-to-back goals. The first from Kayden Stroeder as Lukas Sawchyn forced a turnover deep in the Calgary zone. Then it was Ethan MacKenzie’s 18th of the year to give the Oil Kings the two-goal lead.
Offense was a bit harder to come by in the second with the two clubs combining for just 12 shots compared to 19 in the first. However, it was the Hitmen tying the game with just 14 seconds left as Dach notched his second of the night.
With a tie game headed into the third, both teams would get their looks early in the frame, but it was the Hitmen capitalizing off of Landon Amrhein to make it 4-3. Edmonton ultimately outshot Calgary 16-5 in the final frame but were unable to get the equalizer as the Hitmen added one more into the empty net to make it 5-3.
The Oil Kings will also need to wait another night to clinch a playoff spot with Red Deers win over Medicine Hat.
Edmonton and Calgary meet again on Saturday in Edmonton.
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Watch Jason Smith’s post-game comments:
