Oil Kings host Hitmen in Sunday matinee on Sportsnet
Calgary Hitmen (20-26-7-2)
at Edmonton Oil Kings (18-33-3-1)
Sunday, Feb. 12 – 4 p.m. (Mountain) – Rogers Place
Channels: Sportsnet 360; Sportsnet Now
It’s a classic Battle of Alberta edition of CHL on Sportsnet as the Edmonton Oil Kings play host to the Calgary Hitmen Sunday afternoon.
The Hitmen continue to scrap it out for the final wild-card seed in the WHL’s Eastern Conference, trailing the Saskatoon Blades by three points, with both clubs having 17 games remaining on their regular season slate.
Saturday night, the Hitmen found a way back into the win column, coming out on top of the Swift Current Broncos by a 3-2 margin following an eight-round shootout. Matteo Gennaro and Brady Reagan scored in regulation for the Hitmen, with Tristen Nielsen providing the skills-competition winner and Kyle Dumba securing the win. In net.
As for the Oil Kings, their struggles continue following the WHL Trade Deadline, which saw captain Aaron Irving and longtime forward Lane Bauer dealt to the Everett Silvertips and Kamloops Blazers, respectively. Friday night, the Oil Kings hung with the Regina Pats – the top team in the CHL – prior to falling 5-2, suffering a 16th straight defeat. Nicholas Bowman and Conner McDonald scored in the loss for Edmonton, while Patrick Dea made 34 saves between the pipes.
The lengthy slide has resulted in the Oil Kings falling nine points back of the Hitmen for fourth place in the Central Division.
In his third season, 18-year-old Surrey, B.C., product Davis Koch leads the Oil Kings in scoring with 55 points (15G-40A) in 55 games. Irving and Bauer were the top two scorers on the club prior to their departure. Rookie Trey Fix-Wolansky is enjoying a quality start to his WHL career, sitting second on the Oil Kings in scoring with 39 points (14G-25A) in 54 outings.
Gennaro, January’s WHL Player of the Month, continues to carry the Calgary offense with 63 points (34G-29A) in 52 contests. The 19-year-old prospect of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets (2015 – seventh, 203rd) tore up goaltenders in the month of January, scoring 20 goals in 15 games.
In net, Dea maintains the workload for the Oil Kings, having appeared in 45 contests, accruing a record of 16-26-1-1 with a 3.80 goals-against average, .882 save percentage and one shutout.
For the Hitmen, Trevor Martin has appeared in 15 games since coming to Calgary via the QMJHL at the WHL Trade Deadline. The 21-year-old product of Ardrossan, Alta., is 5-7-3-1 with a 4.42 GAA and .855 SV%. Dumba has been in Calgary since day one this season, amassing a record of 4-6-2-1 with a 4.19 GAA and .851 SV% in 21 outings.
This marks the fourth of six meetings between the Oil Kings and Hitmen this season.
Last time the two Alberta rivals met, the Oil Kings escaped with a 4-3 overtime win on Jan. 1 at Rogers Place. Fix-Wolansky, Colton Kehler, twice, and Bauer scored for the Oil Kings, while Dea made 33 saves for the win. Cody Porter was between the pipes for the Hitmen, but this time around, his services will be unavailable as he recovers from an upper-body injury.
#OilKings face off against the Hitmen for the #BattleofAlberta tomorrow afternoon @RogersPlace.
PREVIEW➡️https://t.co/cnKuZq8dBX— Edmonton Oil Kings (@EdmOilKings) February 12, 2017
Edmonton Oil Kings
Record: 18-33-3-1
Head coach: Steve Hamilton
Leading scorers: RW Davis Koch (15-40-55); RW Trey Fix-Wolansky (14-25-39); LW Tyler Robertson (13-16-29)
Leading goaltender: Patrick Dea (45GP, 16-26-1-1, 3.80 GAA, .882 SV%, 1 SO)
Power play: 17th – 18.2 per cent
Penalty kill: 17th – 76.2 per cent
Injuries/unavailable: D Jordan Dawson (upper body, week to week); D Brayden Gorda (upper body, one week); F Tyson Gruninger (upper body, 10 to 14 days)
GAME DAY: #WHLHitmen visit Oil Kings
Game Preview ~ https://t.co/dxJvHeoQ3J#CGYvsEDM #battleofalberta pic.twitter.com/3tIW34xcMO— Calgary Hitmen (@WHLHitmen) February 12, 2017
Calgary Hitmen
Record: 20-26-7-2
Head coach: Mark French
Leading scorers: C Matteo Gennaro (34-29-63); LW Beck Malenstyn (22-18-40); LW Jakob Stukel (17-23-40)
Leading goaltender: Kyle Dumba (21GP, 4-6-2-1, 4.19 GAA, .851 SV%)
Power play: T-18th – 18.0 per cent
Penalty kill: 20th – 74.1 per cent
Injuries/unavailable: F Lucas Cullen (upper body, indefinite); F Matt Dorsey (upper body, indefinite); F Andrew Fyten (upper body, one week); G Cody Porter (upper body, four to eight weeks)
Season series
Oct. 28 – Calgary (5) at Edmonton (2)
Dec. 30 – Edmonton (2) at Calgary (3)
Jan. 1 – Calgary (3) at Edmonton (4) – OT
Feb. 12 – Calgary at Edmonton
Feb. 17 – Edmonton at Calgary
March 12 – Edmonton at Calgary
CHL on Sportsnet schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 14 – Brandon Wheat Kings at Moose Jaw Warriors
Friday, Feb. 17 – Spokane Chiefs at Kelowna Rockets
Tuesday, Feb. 21 – Edmonton Oil Kings at Kamloops Blazers