Record Breaking Night in P.A.
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Prince Albert, SK - Michael St. Croix posted a five point night including his third hat trick of the season to lead the Oil Kings to a 9-2 win over the Prince Albert Raiders on Saturday night in P.A. Early on the Oil Kings fell behind 1-0 off a turnover which saw P.A. forward Mike Winther tripped up on a partial breakaway and the puck trickle through Oil Kings goaltender Laurent Brossoit. The Oil kings pushed the pace in the first and found three goal posts on shots before a steady forecheck would allow a chance t TJ Foster who buried his 18th of the season to tie the game at 1-1. Late in the first it was the combination of Wruck, Foster and Samuelsson once agin paying dividends as Wruck dug the puck out and tucked home his 18th of the season to make it 2-1 Oil Kings. Wruck would finish his night with a goal and two assists to bring his total to 62 points on the season, placing him 10th in the WHL scoring race. A big play in the last minute of the first by Ashton Sautner to keep the puck in the offensive zone would result in a nice feed from Stephane Legault to Oil Kings scoring leader Michael St.Croix to make it a 3-1 game going into the second.
The Oil Kings then coverted on a power play to start the second just 20 seconds off the stick of Tyler Maxwell. Maxwell would then add his second of the game off a low shot from a bad angle past the midway point of the period. The game was Maxwell's second night in a row with a pair of goals as he extended his goal scoring streak to six games. St.Croix would then add to the lead on a late Oil Kings power play as he tipped a shot from Martin Gernat to make it a 6-1 game going into the third.
Tristan Seiben would then notch his first ever WHL goal at 7:31 of the third period to make it 7-1 as the frustrations started to show for the Raiders, who took several penalties in the third. Rhett Rachinski would score his 15th of the season on a 5 on 3 power play with under four minutes to play. Finally St.Croix would notch his 30th of the season for his third hat trick of the year, on the ensuing 5 on 3 power play to make it a 9-1 game. The Raiders would answer back with a shorthanded goal late to make it a 9-2 final from P.A.
The first and last goals would be Brossoit's only blemishes on the evening as the he shut the door for 26 saves and his 27th win of the season. The Edmonton power play went 4 for 8 on the night while holding the Raiders to 0 for 4 with the man advantage.
The win gives the Oil Kings a 32-11-1-4 record on the season for 67 points as they remain in sole possession of first in the WHL Eastern conference. This breaks the 31 win modern franchise team record set last season with 24 regular season games left to play. For the fifth week in a row the Oil Kings were ranked in the Canadian Hockey League Top Ten rankings, this week - ninth in the CHL.
The Oil Kings next home game is this Wednesday as Edmonton hosts a heavyweight tilt with one of the Western Conference's best - the first place Tri City Americans. This will also be another K97 Weiner Wednesday at Rexall Place with $2 hot dogs all night long! Puck Drop is set for 7PM MST at Rexall Place.
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In what could be one of the biggest weeks of the season, this might be the perfect time to purchase YOUR eight ticket flex pack! Eight ticket vouchers and you get YOUR choice of any one of the five World Junior Bobbleheads - Smyth, Gagner, Eberle, Hall or Dubnyk. Following the big game on Wednesday the Oil Kings will welcome Team Canada standout Mark Stone and the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday night.
On Saturday, the Oil Kings will welcome Team Canada standout Brendan Gallagher and the Vancouver Giants on TAYLOR HALL BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT! Game Time is 7:00PM – Doors open at 6:00 PM! Fans are encouraged to arrive early to claim one of the only 500 available at the door!
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