GAME SUMMARY: Guenther scores twice as Oil Kings finish off sweep of the Rebels
Photo courtesy: Rob Wallator/Red Deer Rebels
Red Deer, AB – The Edmonton Oil Kings completed the sweep of the Red Deer Rebels with a commanding 4-2 win in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semi-Final Series on Wednesday night at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
BOX SCORE | HIGHLIGHTS | REACTION
The Oil Kings came out firing in the first period as they dominated the puck possession and the shots on goal, outshooting the Rebels 23-6 in the opening 20 minutes, but had just a 1-0 lead to show for it at the intermission.
Jalen Luypen broke the deadlock with just over four minutes left in the opening frame after taking a centering pass from Tyler Horstmann between the hashmarks and ripping a shot between the legs of Connor Ungar to stake Edmonton to the 1-0 lead on his third goal of the post-season.
Snipin' Luypen gets us started in Red Deer!@EdmOilKings | @NHLBlackhawks#WHLPlayoffs | #EDMvsRD pic.twitter.com/O2WpkN2zZh
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 12, 2022
In the second period, the Oil Kings persistence would pay off as they scored twice in the opening 39 seconds to go ahead 3-0.
Right off the opening faceoff, Dylan Guenther outmuscled a Rebel for the puck in the neutral zone, walked into the right circle and wired a shot over the shoulder of Ungar for his eighth goal in as many games just eight ticks into the middle stanza.
This goal is brought to you by the number 8:
– seconds into period two
– consecutive games with a goal for #SpicyDyl@EdmOilKings | @ArizonaCoyotes#WHLPlayoffs | #EDMvsRD pic.twitter.com/2CRpen3KyI— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 12, 2022
Just 31 seconds later, Guenther found himself on a two-on-one with Carter Souch and Guenther made a perfect saucer pass over top of the sprawling Red Deer defenceman that Souch smacked into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the playoffs.
No longer #SpicyDyl but #SaucyDyl.
Carter Souch (probably) agrees.@EdmOilKings | @ArizonaCoyotes#WHLPlayoffs | #EDMvsRD pic.twitter.com/GcvG7Ih6Q9
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 12, 2022
The Rebels were able to get one of the goals back after Jhett Larson converted on a breakaway at the 8:20 mark, but the Oil Kings had a response.
With just under 90 seconds left in the period, Guenther touched the twine for a second time as he drilled home a one-timer from the left-circle off a pass from Kaiden Guhle on an Oil Kings power play, staking Edmonton to a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes of play with his WHL leading ninth goal of the playoffs.
More #SpicyDyl content?
More #SpicyDyl content.@EdmOilKings | @ArizonaCoyotes#WHLPlayoffs | #EDMvsRD pic.twitter.com/S77sdgM3iq
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 12, 2022
In the third period, the Rebels got a shorthanded goal from Blake Gustafson with just over six minutes left in regulation, but that would be as close as they would get as the Oil Kings held on for the 4-2 win to sweep the series.
The Oil Kings have now reached the Conference Finals five times in the last eight WHL post-seasons.
Sebastian Cossa finished the night making 14 saves while Ungar turned away 47 pucks in the losing cause. The Oil Kings went 1-for-6 on the power play, the Rebels were 0-for-3.
Next up, the Oil Kings await the winner of the Winnipeg ICE and Moose Jaw Warriors as they will take on one those two teams in the WHL’s Eastern Conference Final, slated to begin late next week.
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