PREVIEW: Oil Kings @ Regina Pats 2.10.24
EDMONTON OIL KINGS (16-31-2-1) vs. REGINA PATS (19-26-4-2) –
FEBRUARY 10, 2024 – BRANDT CENTRE – 6:00 PM
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2023-24 Schedule vs. Regina Pats
Wednesday, Nov 15 @ Regina (6-1 Edm)
Friday, Nov 24 @ Edmonton (4-2 Edm)
Sunday, Dec 17 @ Edmonton (3-2 OT Edm)
Saturday, Feb 10 @ Regina
Matchup Notes
Tonight marks the fourth and final meeting of the regular season between the 2 clubs. Edmonton has won all 3 previous meetings.
Gavin Hodnett leads all Oil Kings in scoring during the season series with six points (0G, 6A), while Tanner Howe (2G) leads the way for the Pats in the head to head.
All-time, the Oil Kings and Pats have met 63 times in the regular season with the Oil Kings holding a record of 30-29-3-1.
Coming In
The Oil Kings dropped their 6th game in a row on Friday night, 4-1 at the hands of the Swift Current Broncos. The loss marked their 5th game in 7 nights, and while in the middle of a grueling 6 games in 9 nights stretch.
A very evenly matched opening period saw the Oil Kings outshoot Swift Current 7-6 in the opening frame. The lone blemish being a dump in retrieval by the Broncos that ended up finding a way on the stick of NHL 1st round pick Connor Geekie, who buried it over the glove hand of starting Goalie Hudson Perry. Edmonton answered back on the powerplay in the 2nd, when Florida Panthers prospect Gracyn Sawchyn ripped home a wrister under the glove of Reid Dyck.
Swift Current’s Connor Gabriel took advantage of a miscue at the Edmonton blue line, took it the other way and rifled a shot through a screen over the blocker of Perry only 3:29 later. Edmonton led in the shot department after 2 periods, 19-14. The Broncos would add 2 more in the 3rd for the win.
EOK Notables
● Oil Kings defenceman Marc Lajoie sits 11th in defenceman points (40), 2nd in defenceman goals (18), 1st in defenceman PP goals (11) and tied for 4th in defenceman PP points (23) in the WHL. His 11 power play goals rank tied for 4th overall in the entire WHL amongst all skaters.
● Oil Kings defenceman Marc Lajoie is in for 5th for the most career power play goals by an Oil Kings defenceman in franchise history with 11 trailing only Griffin Reinhart (12), Cody Corbett (12), Aaron Irving (13) and Conner McDonald (14).
● Oil Kings defenceman Marc Lajoie trails Conner McDonald (19, 2018-19) by 1 goal (18) for a share of the all-time franchise goal total for a defenseman.
● Oil Kings forward Adam Jecho is 13th in WHL rookie scoring with 30 points (13G, 17A) in just 34 games.
● The Oil Kings lead the WHL in attendance (5,988 avg.).
PATS Notables
● Regina Captain Tanner Howe is 10 games away from 200 in his Western Hockey League career.
● Regina Captain Tanner Howe is 14th in the league with 17 power-play assists.
● Pats Forward Braxton Whitehead is 2nd in the league with 2 shootout winning goals.
● The Regina Pats have played in 13 games that have gone to overtime or a shootout. That’s 2nd to the Victoria Royals (14) who lead the league in that category.
Milestone Watch
● F Gracyn Sawchyn registered his 100th career WHL point on Friday vs Swift Current.
● G Kolby Hay made his 3,000th career WHL save on Wednesday vs Brandon.
● D Ismail Abougouche registered his 1st assist as an Oil King on Wednesday vs Brandon.
● F Skyler Bruce played in his 200th career WHL game on Tuesday vs Moose Jaw.
● F Gracyn Sawchyn is 5 games away from 100 career WHL games.
● F Ty Nash is 11 games away from 250 career WHL games.
● F Ty Nash is 7 points away from 150 career WHL points.
● D Marc Lajoie is 11 assists away from 100 career WHL assists.
● F Gavin Hodnett is 8 points away from 100 career WHL points.
Lineup Report
● D Ethan MacKenzie, upper-body, week-to-week (Games missed: 26).
Streaks
● F Joe Iginla is on a 2-game point streak (1g-1a-2pts).
Who’s Hot
● F Gavin Hodnett has 46 points (13G, 33A) in his last 39 games.
● D Skyler Bruce has 5 points in his last 5 games (5A)
● F Roan Woodward has 11 points in his last 13 games (6G, 5A).
● F Ty Nash has 11 points (4G, 6A) in his last 11 games.
● F Adam Jecho has 20 points (8G, 12A) in his last 25 games.
● F Gracyn Sawchyn has 26 points (8G, 18A) in his last 24 games.