RECAP: Oil Kings settle for a split in Grande Cache
Grande Cache, AB – The Edmonton Oil Kings wrapped up their pre-season schedule Sunday afternoon in Grande Cache dropping a 3-2 decision to the Prince George Cougars, splitting the weekend series.
The Oil Kings wasted no time opening the scoring thanks to the line of Adam Jecho, Aidan Litke and Rilen Kovacevic connecting for the ice breaker just 1:13 into the game. After Kovacevic worked the puck down low, Litke grabbed it and found an open Jecho on the doorstep for his second goal in as many games.
Just before the midway point of the period, the Cougars responded with a shorthanded tally from Ondrej Becher at the 8:34 mark.
Kolby Hay was kept busy in the first period turning in 11 saves on 12 shots while the team in front of him put nine shots on the Prince George net.
In the second period, Becher and Jecho would trade goals once again. First, Becher gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead with a power play marker from the left circle with 9:14 left in the middle stanza and then Jecho, on a near carbon-copy of his opening goal, replied just 27 seconds later sending the two teams to the intermission tied at two.
A penalty-filled third period would yield just one goal and it would be a shorthanded marker that proved to be the difference in the game as Carlin Dezainde providing it for the Cougars with just under five minutes left in regulation time.
Hay finished the afternoon stopping 29 of the 32 shots he faced while the Cougars tandem turned into 23 saves on 25 shots.
The Oil Kings were 0-for-2 on the power play, the Cougars were 1-for-3.
The Oil Kings finished the pre-season with a record of 2-2-0-0.
The Edmonton Oil Kings next home game is their 2023-24 Home Opener on Saturday, September 23 at 7:00 P.M. when they take on the Red Deer Rebels at Rogers Place.
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