Holinka Scores Overtime Winner as Oil Kings Defeat Rebels
Red Deer, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings are back in the win column after a 3-2 overtime win over the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday night.
It was a tightly contested, competitive game as both teams were returning from lengthy breaks for Christmas, and it was the Oil Kings who struck first as Lukas Sawchyn outwaited Matthew Kondro and got his 14th goal of the season. Captain Gavin Hodnett had the primary assist as he rejoined the lineup after missing 24 games with injury.
Neither team was able to score in the second as both goalies made some excellent saves with Kondro stopping 10 shots, and Oil Kings netminder Ethan Simcoe stopping nine.
The offence though did open up in the third period as the Rebels scored twice in the span of just under two minutes as Nolan Schmidt and Landon MacSwain scored between the 4:33 and 6:12 marks of the period to give the Rebels the 2-1 lead. However, Edmonton responded a few minutes later as Parker Alcos was able to backhand a shot past Matthew Kondro for his first goal in nearly a full calendar year as he tied the game 2-2.
In overtime, just over a minute in, Miroslav Holinka fired a shot from the high slot that was stopped by Kondro before he followed up his own rebound and flipped the puck over Kondro to give the Oil Kings the 3-2 win with his fifth game winning goal of the year.
The Oil Kings powerplay was 0-for-4 and the penalty kill was 3-for-3. Ethan Simcoe stopped 26 shots, while Kodnro stopped 27 for Red Deer.
The win snaps the Oil Kings three game losing skid as they’re back in action on Sunday against Lethbridge at Rogers Place.
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Watch Assistant Coach Devan Praught’s post-game interview:
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Listen to the full post-game show:
