Five Crown Jewels: Game Notes vs. Portland Winterhawks
EDMONTON OIL KINGS – GAME NOTES
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
EDMONTON OIL KINGS (5-3-0-1) vs. PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS (4-2-0-1)
Edmonton Road Record (2-2-0-1) Portland Home Record (1-0-0-0)
Season Game: 10 Road Game: 6
OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS – The Portland Winterhawks are currently riding a five-game undefeated-in-regulation streak, collecting points in their last five games (3-0-0-2), including four straight wins. The Edmonton Oil Kings are winless in their last four games (0-3-0-1) after starting the season 5-0-0-0. Both teams currently sit third overall in their respective conferences, and each lead their divisions by a single point.
GETTING ON THE BOARD EARLY – The Oil Kings have scored the first goal of the season in four of their nine games played. When they started the season with a 5-0-0-0 record, they scored the first goal of the game in four of those five contests. The team is 1-3-0-1 when surrendering the first goal. The Winterhawks have scored first in four of their seven tilts, going 3-1-0-0. They’re 2-1-0-0 when surrendering the first goal.
Both teams are near the top of their respective conferences where goals are concerned, as Portland sits tops in the west with 29 goals for (with the second most games played). Edmonton maintains second spot in the east in goals for with 35 (tied for most games played in the conference).
PENALTY TROUBLE – Discipline will be another key factor in Wednesday’s match-up. The Winterhawks have the second fewest penalty minutes in the western conference at 71, while the Oil Kings have racked up 94 penalty minutes in two more games – fourth highest in the eastern conference. The Oil Kings will also have to be cautious of WHL leading scorer, Joachim Beachfield, who also sits tied for the league-lead in power play markers with four.
STREAKING – Portland’s Joachim Blichfeld is currently on a season-long, seven-game point streak tallying 17 points (8G, 9A) during that span. Centre Cody Glass enters tonight’s game riding a five-game streak, notching 13 points (1G, 12A).
BATTLE OF LEAGUE HEAVYWEIGHTS – There should be no shortage of offence entering tonight’s game, as both the Oil Kings and Winterhawks have multiple names atop the league leaders in goals, assists and points.
Joachim Blichfeld leads the WHL in points (17) while Oil Kings captain Trey Fix-Wolansky is close behind with 15 points, tied for second in the league. Blichfeld’s eight goals are also a league benchmark, while Oil Kings’ Vince Loschiavo sits tied for second in snipes with seven.
Portland’s Cody Glass leads the WHL in assists with 12, while Fix-Wolansky is tied for third with 10.
