RECAP: Oil Kings Offense Comes Alive in Victory over Hitmen
Calgary, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings offense exploded on Sunday afternoon as they defeated the Calgary Hitmen 8-4 at the Saddledome in the eighth and final regular season meeting between the rivals.
It started with a Marshall Finnie goal 7:05 into the first period to open the scoring for the Oil Kings. However, a powerplay goal form the Hitmen’s Ethan Moore made it 1-1, but that’s as close as the Hitmen would get as Lukas Sawchyn responded for Edmonton just 26 seconds later to make it 2-1 after one period.
The Oil Kings came out in the second period guns a blazing as they scored three more times in the first 3:45 as Gracyn Sawchyn, Miroslav Holinka, and Blake Fiddler all got on the board to get the Oil Kings out to a 5-1 lead. That goal chased Hitmen netminder
Rylen Roersma made it 6-1 off a forechecking turnover for his 12th of the season just over halfway through the second. Marshall Finnie added his second of the night off a bouncing puck off the end boards to make it 7-1 before Calgary responded on a late powerplay to make it 7-2 courtesy of Carter Yakemchuk.
Calgary would add two more in the third period Moore’s second of the game, also on the powerplay, and then Brandon Gorzynski shorthanded got the game to 7-4 before Joe Iginla scored on the powerplay with five seconds to go to make it 8-4 for the Oil Kings.
Ethan Simcoe made a WHL career-high 42 saves on 46 shots in the game. Edmonton’s powerplay was 1-for-4, and the penalty kill was 6-for-9.
The Oil Kings visit Lethbridge on Friday.
Listen to the full post-game show here with comments from Head Coach Luke Pierce:
