PREVIEW: Oil Kings @ Swift Current 2.9.2024
EDMONTON OIL KINGS (16-30-2-1) vs. SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS (25-18-4-2) – FEBRUARY 9, 2024 – INNOVATIONPLEX – 6:00 PM
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2023-24 Schedule vs. Swift Current Broncos
Friday, Dec 15 @ Edmonton (6-3 SC)
Friday, Feb 9 @ Swift Current
Saturday, Mar 2 @ Edmonton
Wednesday, Mar 6 @ Swift Current
Sunday, Mar 17 @ Swift Current
Matchup Notes
Tonight marks the second of five meetings in the regular season between the 2 clubs. Swift Current won the previous one on December 15.
Marc Lajoie and Ty Nash lead all Oil Kings in scoring during the season series with two points each (1G, 1A), while Josh Filmon (2G) leads the way for the Broncos in the head to head.
All-time, the Oil Kings and Broncos have met 65 times in the regular season with the Oil Kings holding a record of 38-22-3-2.
Coming In
The Oil Kings dropped their 5th game in a row on Wednesday night, 7-2 at the hands of the Brandon Wheat Kings. The loss marked their 4th game in 5 nights, and while in the middle of a grueling 6 games in 9 nights stretch.
Edmonton stormed out of the gate on Wednesday evening, scoring twice before the game was 10 minutes old. Ty Nash connected on a nice feed from Gracyn Sawchyn in the high slot, burying it off the post and in on the glove side of Wheat Kings Goalie Carson Bjarnason for his 15th of the year. The Oil Kings went up 2-0 less than 5 minutes later, as Gavin Hodnett buried a backhander up under the cross bar from outside the crease on a nifty feed from Nash for his 13th of the season. Edmonton at one point outshot Brandon 12-2 in the opening frame. Then, the tide turned.
The Wheat Kings connected on two defensive zone breakdowns to tie it up before the end of period 1. Brandon scored two more times in period 2, and 3 more in period 3 to send Edmonton away with their 5th consecutive loss and their 3rd of 4 in the season series.
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 33 games.
● The Oil Kings lead the WHL in attendance (5,988 avg.).
SCB Notables
● Broncos Forward Josh Filmon has tied his career high of game winning goals in 1 season (5), in just 46 GP.
● Swift Current has 7 players on their roster who’ve been drafted by National Hockey League teams: Goalie Reid Dyck (2022 6th rd, 183 overall by BOSI), Defenseman Ryan McCleary (2021 7th rd, 191st overall by PIT), Forward Jakub Dvorak (2023 2nd rd, 54th overall by LAK), Forward Connor Hvidston (2022 5th rd, 139th overall by ANH), Forward Josh Filmon (2022 6th rd, 166th overall by NJ), Defenseman Owen Pickering (2022 1st round, 22nd overall by PIT) and Forward Connor Geekie (2022 1st rd, 11th overall by ARI).
● The Broncos rank 4th in the Eastern Conference in goals-for with 196, behind Medicine Hat (219) Saskatoon (197) and Moose Jaw (196).
● Broncos Forward Connor Geekie is 3 goals away from 100 in his Western Hockey League career.
Milestone Watch
● 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 6 games away from 100 career WHL games.
● F Ty Nash is 12 games away from 250 career WHL games.
● F Gracyn Sawchyn is 1 point away from 100 career WHL points.
● 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).
● F John Szabo, Game time decision.
Streaks
● F Skyler Bruce is on a 3-game point streak (0g-4a-4pts)
● 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 38 games.
● D Marc Lajoie has 33 points (15G, 18A) in his last 37 games.
● F Roan Woodward has 11 points in his last 12 games (6G, 5A).
● F Ty Nash has 11 points (4G, 6A) in his last 10 games.
● F Adam Jecho has 20 points (8G, 12A) in his last 24 games.
● F Gracyn Sawchyn has 25 points (7G, 18A) in his last 23 games.