PREVIEW: Oil Kings Return from Break to Visit Rebels
Red Deer, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings return from their ten-day holiday break tonight as they hit the road to take on the Red Deer Rebels.
The Oil Kings are 16-13-1-1 through 31 games this season and have won eight of their last 11 games, which included a season-high four game winning streak just before the break. However, the streak was snapped on December 17 at home against the Prince Albert Raiders by a 5-2 score. Edmonton will look to start a new streak tonight, and forward Gracyn Sawchyn will look to stay scorching hot, currently on a five-game point streak, earning 12 points (5G, 7A) over that stretch.
Meanwhile, the Rebels went into the holiday break dropping a 5-4 decision at home to the Swift Current Broncos on December 17. Red Deer now sits at 15-14-1-2 this season, good for 33 points on the year, currently tied for the eighth and final playoff spot, but are just one point back of the Oil Kings in seventh place heading into tonight. The Rebels are led offensively by defenceman Hunter Mayo who has 20 points (11G, 9A) 28 games this season.
Edmonton has dominated the head-to-head meetings this season between the two clubs as they’re currently 3-0-0-0 and have outscored the Rebels 15-2 in the first three meetings, most recently, a 5-0 win at Teddy Bear Toss on November 24. Alex Worthington has started all three games for Edmonton and has .980 save-percentage in those three games.
Game time from the Peavy Mart Centrium in Red Deer is 7 p.m.
Oil Kings Scoring Leaders (GP, G-A-Pts):
- Gracyn Sawchyn (28, 18-25-43)
- Gavin Hodnett (31, 14-20-34)
- Roan Woodward (31, 10-20-30)
- Adam Jecho (26, 9-15-24)
- Lukas Sawchyn (31, 5-17-22)
Oil Kings Milestone Watch:
- D Blake Fiddler is 10 games away from 100 in the WHL
- D Josh Mori is 7 games away from 200 in the WHL
- F Roan Woodward is 9 points away from 100 in the WHL
Rebels Scoring Leaders (GP, G-A-Pts):
- Hunter Mayo (28, 11-9-20)
- Matthew Gard (31, 8-11-19)
- Ollie Josephson (24, 7-10-17)
- Trae Wilkie (32, 6-11-17)
- Carson Birnie (31, 7-9-16)
2024-25 Schedule vs. Red Deer Rebels:
Saturday, October 12 @ EDM (5-1 EDM)
Sunday, October 20 @ RD (5-1 EDM)
Sunday, November 24 @ EDM (5-0 EDM)
Friday, December 27 @ Red Deer
Sunday, December 29 @ Edmonton
Friday, February 14 @ Red Deer
Monday, February 17 @ Red Deer
Sunday, March 23 @ Edmonton
