PREVIEW: Oil Kings @ Vancouver Giants 12.29.23

EDMONTON OIL KINGS (10-20-0-1) @ VANCOUVER GIANTS (13-19-2-0) – DECEMBER 29, 2023 – LANGLEY EVENTS CENTRE – 8:00 PM

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2023-24 Schedule vs. Vancouver Giants

Friday, Dec 29 @ Vancouver

 

 

 

 

2022-23 vs. Vancouver: 0-0-1-0 Home: 0-1-0-0 Away: 0-0-0-0 PP: 0/5 (0.0%) PK: 2/7 (71.4%)

All-Time vs. Vancouver: 9-18-1-1 Home: 6-9-0-1 Away: 3-9-1-0 PP: 17/121 (14.0%) PK: 27/135 (80.0%)

 

Matchup Notes

Tonight marks the first and only meeting of the season between the Oil Kings and Giants.

Last season, the Giants picked up a 2-1 win over the Oil Kings at Rogers Place on October 27, 2022 thanks to power play goals from Colton Langkow and Mazden Leslie while Brett Mirwald made 31 saves. Vojtech Port scored the lone Oil Kings goal while Alex Worthington turned in 33 saves.

The Oil Kings haven’t visited the LEC since November 23, 2019 (1,497 days) a game in which they dropped 5-4 in overtime after Justin Sourdif scored 2:57 into the bonus period. Dylan Guenther, Riley Sawchuk, Matthew Robertson and Josh Williams scored for the Oil Kings.

The Oil Kings are 0-2-1-0 all-time at the LEC with all three defeats coming by a one-goal margin.

Coming In

The Oil Kings come in riding a mini two-game win streak after defeating the Prince George Cougars 6-4 on Wednesday night at the CN Centre to kick off their current seven-game road trip.

Ty Nash paced the offence with a first period hat-trick and four-point night, the first time in his WHL career he has achieved either feat. Gavin Hodnett registered a goal and two assists while Skyler Bruce, in his first game back from missing the last six with injury, had three assists. Marshall Finnie notched his team leading 11^th goal of the season and Adam Jecho secured the win with a late empty-net marker in his first game after missing 11 with injury. Kolby Hay made 24 saves in the win while the Oil Kings went 3-for-4 on the PP and the PK killed off 2-of-3 PG chances including a lengthy first period 5-on-3.

The Giants enter play after a loss on Wednesday night by a 4-2 score to the Victoria Royal at the LEC. Ty Halaburda and Tyler Thorpe had the Giants goals while Brett Mirwald made 21 saves. The Giants went 0-for-6 on the PP and gave up three PP goals against on four Royals chances. The Giants have lost four of their last six games and eight of their last nine at home.

EOK Notables

Oil Kings defenceman Marc Lajoie sits 12^th in defenceman points (25), second in defenceman goals (10) and first in defenceman PP goals (7) in the WHL.

With his seven power play goals, Lajoie ranks 3rd all-time amongst Oil Kings defencemen for PP goals in a single season, tied with Aaron Irving (7, 2015-16), Cody Corbett (7, 2013-14) and trailing only Conner McDonald (8, 2018-19) and Simon Kubicek (9, 2021-22).

Adam Jecho ranks 10^th in WHL rookie scoring with 19 points (9G, 10A) in just 20 games.

Skyler Bruce (10 goals on 35 shots, 28.6%) and Adam Jecho (9 goals on 36 shots, 25.0%) rank second and third respectively in WHL shooting %.

The Oil Kings have killed off 38 of the last 44 penalties they’ve taken over the past 13 games (86.4%). The Oil Kings PP has gone 19 for its last 73 over the past 17 games (26.0%) and has 21 goals in its last 19 games.

The Oil Kings lead the WHL in attendance (5,642 avg.).

VAN Notables

Brett Mirwald ranks second amongst all WHL goaltenders in minutes played (1,598), shots faced (939) and saves made (850).

Mazden Leslie ranks 18^th amongst all WHL defenceman in points (21).

Milestone Watch

• G Kolby Hay is 3 games away from 100 career WHL games.
• HC Luke Pierce is 1 game away from his 100^th game as Head Coach of the Oil Kings.
• F Mason Finley is 2 games away from 100 career games as an Oil King.
• F Marshall Finnie is 5 games away from 100 career WHL games.
• F Gavin Hodnett is 10 games away from 100 career WHL games.

Lineup Report

• D Rhys Pederson, lower-body, day-to-day (Games missed: 16).
• D Ethan MacKenzie, upper-body, month-to-month (Games missed: 12).
• D Reid Larson, lower-body, month-to-month (Games missed: 7).
• F Mason Finley, lower-body, TBD (Games missed: 0).

Streaks

• F Skyler Bruce is on a 5-game point streak (3g-4a-7pts).
• F Marshall Finnie is on a 5-game point streak (4g-1a-5pts) and a 3-game goal streak (3G).
• F Gavin Hodnett is on a 5-game point streak (2g-5a-7pts).
• D Marc Lajoie is on a 3-game assist/point streak (0g-3a-3pts).
• F Adam Jecho is on a 3-game point streak (2g-2a-4pts).
• F John Szabo is on a 2-game assist/point streak (0g-2a-2pts).
• F Joe Iginla is on a 2-game point streak (1g-1a-2pts).

Who’s Hot 

• F Gavin Hodnett has 25 points (5G, 20A) in his last 20 games.
• D Marc Lajoie has 18 points (7G, 11A) in his last 19 games.
• F Skyler Bruce has 18 points (10G, 8A) in his last 16 games.
• F Roan Woodward has 9 points (4G, 5A) in his last 13 games.
• F Ty Nash has 13 points (7G, 6A) in his last 9 games.
• F Marshall Finnie has 9 points (5G, 4A) in his last 9 games.
• F Adam Jecho has 9 points (4G, 5A) in his last 8 games.
• F Gracyn Sawchyn has 5 points (1G, 4A) in his last 5 games.