RECAP: Oil Kings grab pre-season win in Red Deer
Photo courtesy: Red Deer Rebels
Red Deer, AB – The Edmonton Oil Kings got a two goal performance from Cole Miller on Sunday afternoon as they snagged their first win of the pre-season with a 4-3 victory over the Red Deer Rebels at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
The Rebels came out of the gates with plenty of jump outshooting the Oil Kings 12-1 in the opening 10 minutes of the game and on their 12th shot they were able to open the scoring after defenceman Quentin Bourne was able to pinball a puck in from the blueline.
After that goal, the Oil Kings went on to outshoot the Rebels 7-2 in the back half of the period and briefly equalized the score on an unassisted goal from Marshall Finnie after he bull rushed the net off an offensive zone faceoff and muscled the puck past Red Deer ‘tender Kyle Kelsey. The Rebels restored their lead just over a minute later courtesy a Dwayne Jean Jr. snipe from the right circle to give the home side a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.
In the second period, the Oil Kings took full control of the game scoring three times in the frame to take a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Miller levelled the score with his first of two in the period at the 9:27 mark after receiving a pass from Mason Finley just inside the blueline and ripping a shot bardown from the high slot.
Finley would then get in on the scoring himself with a shorthanded tally after stripping a Red Deer defender of the puck at the Edmonton blueline, racing the length of the ice on an uncontested breakaway and elevating a shot over the arm of Kelsey and into the top-shelf.
Before the period was out, Miller tacked on a power play marker with a rocket of a one-timer off the cross-bar and in from the left circle on a setup from Jacob Hoffrogge and Adam Jecho.
In the third period, the Oil Kings kept the Rebels at bay for much of the final 20 minutes, with the exception of a late 6-on-4 power play goal from Jhett Larson, as they cruised to a 4-3 win.
Login Cunningham played the first period for the Oil Kings stopping 12 of the 14 shots sent his way while Kolby Hay was nearly perfect in the final 40 minutes kicking aside 14 of the 15 shots he faced. Kelsey made 10 saves on 12 Edmonton shots for the Rebels, while Chase Wutzke stopped seven of nine shots after coming in midway through the game.
Both teams finished the afternoon 1-for-5 on the power play.
The Oil Kings wrap up their pre-season schedule next weekend when they travel to Grande Cache, AB to take on the Prince George Cougars Friday, September 15 and Sunday, September 17. All proceeds from both games are in support of Grande Cache Minor Hockey.
The Oil Kings return to Rogers Place for their 2023-24 Home Opener on Saturday, September 23 when they play host to the Red Deer Rebels at 7:00 PM.
The Oil Kings are Edmonton’s first choice for family fun with great seats starting at $20 and season seats for as low as $299 for an entire season of thrilling WHL action!
Head to OilKings.ca to secure your seat in #TheKingdom today!
