Stroeder’s Hat-Trick Lifts Oil Kings to First Home Win of Season
Edmonton, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings got their first home win of the 2026/2027 WHL season on Friday night after a 5-1 win at Rogers Place.
Parker Snell made 29 saves for his first win of the season, Kayden Stroeder notched a hat-trick, and KJ Sauer had two assists as the Oil Kings improved to 2-2-1-0.
Most of the first period could have previewed a goaltenders battled with no goals scored until just over a minute remained as Josh Lee tapped in a Jonas Vanicek pass to make it 1-0. Edmonton outshot the Pats 10-9 in the period.
The second period saw the game completely flip as the teams made ruts to the penalty box, opening up the ice for both clubs. Kayden Stroeder gave Edmonton the 2-0 lead on a breakaway almost seven minutes into the frame, followed by a powerplay goal from Luke Melnik in his first game as an Oil King to make it 3-0. Stroeder jumped in on the action again with a four-on-three powerplay goal where he circled the zone and fired a wrister past the Pats netminder Drake Mooney to make it 4-0. Regina responded on a powerplay of their own as Keets Fawcett knocked home a rebound to get the Pats on the board before the end of the second period.
The physicality carried into the third period, and the Oil Kings would add one more as Stroeder capped off his second career hat-trick to make it 5-1.
The Oil Kings were 3-for-6 on the powerplay and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill in the hockey game. Just one goal in the game was scored at five-on-five.
Edmonton is off until next Friday when they visit the Medicine Hat Tigers.
