Oil Kings Kick Off Family Day Weekend in Calgary Against Hitmen
Edmonton, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings are hoping that today’s Friday the 13th isn’t an unlucky one for them as they visit the Calgary Hitmen tonight.
The Oil Kings are coming off a 4-0 loss to Everett on Wednesday night, snapping a three-game win streak. However, the Oil Kings still sit third in the WHL’s Eastern Conference with a 34-12-3-2 record on the season. As a result, the Oil Kings are once again in a position to clinch a playoff spot in the WHL Playoffs. With a win tonight of any fashion, along with a Red Deer Rebels loss to Medicine Hat in any fashion, the Oil Kings would become the fourth team to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the opponents, the Calgary Hitmen are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 29-14-6-1 record, eight points behind the Oil Kings for that third spot. They are coming off a loss to the Swift Current Broncos on Wednesday night by a 3-1 score. That snapped a four-game winning streak for the Hitmen.
Tonight marks the fourth of eight meetings this season between the Oil Kings and the Hitmen. Edmonton is 0-3-0-0 against Calgary this year, and most recently fell 5-2 at the Saddledome on January 28. Andrew O’Neill, Gavin Hodnett, and Blake Fiddler all have two points for the Oil Kings in the season series to lead the way. Meanwhile, Jaxon Fuder has only dressed in one game for the Oil Kings against Calgary, but with Red Deer this season, Fuder had three points in five games against the Hitmen.
Puck drop from Calgary is at 7 p.m. tonight.
