Hunt Scores Twice in Pats Loss to Edmonton

First Period
The Pats lineup was bolstered ahead of the game as both Dryden Hunt and Boston Leier returned to game action.  That addition proved key in the early going as Hunt opened the scoring on the powerplay on a rocket shot to the top corner of the Edmonton net.  Just twelve seconds later, the Oil Kings tied it up when Dmitry Sinitsyn’s pass was picked off in the slot by Brett Pollock who went top corner to even the score.  The visitors grabbed the lead five minutes later when Riley Kieser snapped a one-timer past Daniel Wapple from the slot for a 2-1 Edmonton lead.  Leier and Hunt would connect again as Dryden worked the give and go with Boston to set up Hunt’s second powerplay goal of the night to pull the Pats back to even footing with the Oil Kings before the end of the frame, 2-2.

Second Period
The middle frame saw the Oil Kings grab the momentum and a lead after forty.  The Pats opened with the remaining time from a first period powerplay, their third of the game, but couldn’t make anything happen with the advantage.  Four and a half minutes into the period, Edgars Kulda skated around the Pats defence and beat Wapple with a nifty deke to give the Oil Kings a 3-2 lead.  Forty seconds later Luke Bertolucci drove the net and crashed into Wapple along the way.  The Pats netminder remained down on the ice for a long period of time before being helped to the Pats dressing room.  Dawson MacAuley came between the pipes in relief of Wapple and stopped all fifteen shots he faced throughout the frame to help the Pats only allow the one goal in the frame despite being outshot 18-4 in the period.

Third Period
The final frame was a key period for both teams looking to take control of their divisions.  The Pats opened with a powerplay, but couldn’t tie the game despite some good scoring chances.  The Oil Kings gained some breathing room when, once again, Kulda waltzed around the Pats and beat MacAuley with a blistering snap shot.  The Pats nearly got back within one when rookie Austin Wagner turned on the jets to get around the Oil Kings’ defence and rang his shot off the post behind Tristan Jarry.  That was as close as the Pats would come the rest of the way.  With a late powerplay, the Blue and White dispatched six forwards to the ice in an attempt to get within one.  Curtis Lazar had other ideas as he turned the tables by scoring into an empty net and giving Edmonton the 5-2 win.

Next Game: at Lethbridge – Friday, March 7^th – 8:00 p.m. CST (CKRM)

Next Home Game: vs. Prince Albert – Wednesday, March 12^th – 7:00 p.m. (CKRM)