PREVIEW: Oil Kings @ Swift Current Broncos 3.6.24
MARCH 6, 2024 – INNOVATIONPLEX – 6:00 PM
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2023-24 Schedule vs. Swift Current
Friday, Dec 15 @ Edmonton (6-3 SC)
Friday, Feb 9 @ Swift Current (4-1 SC)
Saturday, Mar 2 @ Edmonton (4-1 EDM)
Wednesday, Mar 6 @ Swift Current
Sunday, Mar 17 @ Edmonton
Matchup Notes
Tonight marks the 4th meeting of the year between the 2 clubs. Swift Current has won 2 of the previous 3 contests.
Gracyn Sawchyn leads all Oil Kings in scoring with 5 points (1G, 4A), while Josh Filmon (2G, 2A) leads the way for the Broncos in the head to head with four points.
All-time, the Oil Kings and Broncos have met 67 times in the regular season with the Oil Kings holding a record of 39-23-3-2.
Coming In
The Oil Kings are coming off of a 4-1 win in the first game of their home and home vs the Swift Current Broncos.
Edmonton got on the board early when Gracyn Sawchyn picked the pocket of Broncos Goalie Joey Rocha beside the net, firing the puck into the high slot for linemate Cole Miller to rip into the vacated 4×6. Gavin Hodnett deflected it on its way in at 3:58.
Swift Current would answer back in the 2nd period on the powerplay. Oil Kings Forward Marshall Finnie was without his stick and covering the left point, when the puck came to Arizona Coyotes prospect Conor Geekie who one timed a rocket over the glove hand of Oil Kings Goalie Hudson Perry to tie the game at 1. Some crafty stickwork and great vision from Roan Woodward would regain the Oil Kings lead later in the period on an
Edmonton powerplay, as he slid the puck along the ice past Rocha. Less than 4 minutes later, Ty Nash one-timed a puck in from the goal crease for the club’s second PPG of the evening.
Woodward would add another on the man advantage in the 3rd to put the icing on the cake.
EOK Notables
● Oil Kings Forward Ty Nash will be playing in his 250th game in the Western Hockey League on Wednesday night.
● The Oil Kings have now scored the first goal in 5 consecutive games, three back of their season high of 8 consecutive to start the 2023/24 season.
● Oil Kings defenceman Marc Lajoie sits 13th in defenceman points (47), 2nd in defenceman goals (20), 1st in defenceman PP goals (11) and 7th in defenceman PP points (24) in the WHL. His 11 power play goals rank tied for 6th overall in the entire WHL amongst all skaters.
● Oil Kings defenceman Marc Lajoie is in 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).
SCB Notables
● Broncos Forward Conor Geekie is on a 8-game point streak, and has points in 11 of his last 12 games.
● Broncos Goalie Reid Dyck sits 6th in the Western Hockey League in save percentage at .914, and is 8th in the league with a GAA of 2.65 through 29 appearances.
Milestone Watch
● F Ty Nash is 1 game away from 250 career WHL games.
● F Smyth Rebman is 5 games away from 100 career WHL games.
● F Ty Nash is 9 assists away from 100 career WHL assists.
● D Marc Lajoie is 6 assists away from 100 career WHL assists.
● F Skyler Bruce is 3 goals away from 50 career WHL goals.
Lineup Report
● D Ethan MacKenzie, upper-body, week-to-week (Games missed: 40)
● F Presley Kerner, lower-body, week-to-week (Games missed: 9)
● F Skylar Bruce, lower-body, day-to-day (Games missed: 8)
Streaks
● F Gracyn Sawchyn is on a 2-game point streak (0g-5a-5pts).
● F Ty Nash is on a 2-game point streak (1g-3a-4pts).
Who’s Hot
● F Marshall Finnie has 6 points (3G, 3A) in his last 7 games.
● F Ty Nash has 22 points (6G, 16A) in his last 20 games.
● F Smyth Rebman has 7 points (3G, 4A) in his last 9 games.
● F Gracyn Sawchyn has 19 points (4G, 15A) in his last 17 games.
● F Gavin Hodnett has 12 points (4G, 8A) in his last 12 games.