Gameday Preview: Edmonton Oil Kings @ Lethbridge Hurricanes

DUBNetwork Game of the Night: Edmonton Oil Kings (40-10-6-3) @ Lethbridge Hurricanes (35-15-2-5) 7:00 PM

A Central Division battle, the Oil Kings head south to take on the Hurricanes. Lethbridge is 12 points back of division-leading Edmonton. A win for the Oil Kings tonight will give them a nearly insurmountable lead for the Central Division banner.

These two teams have three games remaining against each other including tonight’s tilt. The Hurricanes hold the edge in the season series with a 2-1-0-0 record, one of those wins requiring a shootout. They’ll need to win those three contests and have some luck in hoping to catch Edmonton for the top spot in the division.

Edmonton has opened the gap over the last 10 games with an 8-2-0-0 record compared to Lethbridge’s record of 6-4-0-0.

Dylan Cozens (Photo-Erica Perreaux)

Dylan Cozens has three goals and four assists for the Hurricanes in the three previous games between the two teams. After coming over from Red Deer, Brett Davis scored twice in the loss to the Oil Kings on February 17th.

Speaking of Cozens, he has 17 points in the month of February, including four games with at least three points.

Josh Williams had a hat trick in the last matchup with Lethbridge, he also has an assist from their first game.

Dylan Guenther has been hot for the Oil Kings in February. He has 15 points (6G, 9A) in nine games and is now tied with Michal Teply for the league lead among rookie scorers. Teply is two years older and already an NHL draft pick.

When you talk about the defense you have to mention the top-scoring Alex Cotton, Calen Addison, and Edmonton’s Matthew Robertson. All three are in the top-13 of scoring in the WHL this season. Cotton and Addison are the top duo with 60 and 48 points respectively. Robertson doesn’t have a top-end running partner producing points but his 42 are good for 13th in the WHL.

Sebastian Cossa (Photo-Andy Devlin)

Both teams also possess a top-10 goals-against average goalie. Sebastian Cossa (2.05) and Carl Tetachuk (2.68) are ranked second and eighth in the WHL. Cossa has a better record at 21-4-2-1 to Tetachuk’s 19-10-1-5.

Both teams are potent on the power play, Lethbridge is successful 24.4% of the time while Edmonton is successful 23.3% of the time. Edmonton pulls away as the WHL leader on the penalty kill at 87.6%, Lethbridge is more of a middle of the pack team at 77.6%.

As always you can catch the game on WHL Live, or you can tune into the voice of the Edmonton Oil Kings Andrew Peard on TSN 1260 AM or you can listen to the voice of the Lethbridge Hurricanes Dustin Forbes on Rock 106.7 FM

In other WHL action (all times local):

Swift Current Broncos (10-43-1-3) @ Moose Jaw Warriors (12-39-4-0) 7:00 PM

“Battle of the Basement” game in the Western Conference as both teams are attempting to break lengthy losing streaks. Moose Jaw’s has reached 13 games without a win, Swift Current is at 12. In the season series, both teams have two regulation wins.

Medicine Hat Tigers (35-19-2-1) @ Regina Pats (20-31-4-2) 7:00 PM

The Tigers are looking to get out of their funk, in their past 10 games, they are 4-5-1-0. They’ll be attempting to knock off the Regina Pats who own the same 10 game record. Medicine Hat also needs to hold off the hard-charging Calgary Hitmen for third in the Central Division. Regina is all but eliminated from the playoffs. The Tigers have won both previous meetings.

Prince Albert Raiders (32-16-5-4) @ Saskatoon Blades (30-22-2-3) 7:00 PM

5-1-0-0 is the Blades record against Prince Albert this season, seemingly holding some kind of voodoo against their nearest rival this season. Eight points separate the teams in the standings, with the Raiders on top in the East Division. Saskatoon holds the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, with a large lead on the teams behind them.

Brandon Wheat Kings (32-21-4-2) @ Calgary Hitmen (34-19-4-1) 7:00 PM

The two teams meet for the fourth and final time this season, Brandon holds the edge in the season series with a 2-0-1-0 record. Calgary has caught up to the third-place team in the Central Division, Medicine Hat, and will look to keep pace with them with a win tonight. Brandon has surpassed Winnipeg for second in the East Division and now sit just three points behind Prince Albert for the East Division lead.

Winnipeg ICE (34-23-1-0) @ Red Deer Rebels (21-31-2-3) 7:00 PM

Despite being nearly eliminated from playoff contention, the Rebels have won three straight games. They take on a reeling Winnipeg side that has lost three straight. Winnipeg holds a 2-1-0-0 advantage over Red Deer, but the Rebels won a 6-5 barn burner at the end of January. The ICE are now third in the East Division, a single point behind Brandon with a game in hand.

Kamloops Blazers (35-17-3-1) @ Prince George Cougars (17-32-4-4) 7:00 PM

32 points separate these two teams in the standings but it’s the Cougars holding the season series advantage with a 3-2-0-0 record against the Blazers. The Cougars are 11 points back of the Seattle Thunderbirds for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 11 games to play. Prince George has a game in hand on Seattle. Kamloops has a seven-point lead on Victoria for the BC Division crown with two games in hand.

Everett Silvertips (41-12-3-1) @ Kelowna Rockets (27-26-2-3) 7:05 PM

The Rockets are playing some of their best hockey of the season, as the team has points in five straight. They take on the powerhouse Silvertips, winners of seven in a row. Everett now sits just one point behind the Portland Winterhawks for the US Division crown. Kelowna is in the first wild card spot, six points ahead of Seattle and six points behind the Vancouver Giants for third in the BC Division. Both teams have a regulation win in the season series.

Seattle Thunderbirds (23-28-4-3) @ Spokane Chiefs (35-18-4-1) 7:05 PM

These teams haven’t met since the day they returned from the Holiday break; a 9-5 win for Seattle. It was their only win over Spokane this season; the Chiefs took the other four games. Spokane has won their last four games, while Seattle has points in their last two games.

Portland Winterhawks (40-10-3-4) @ Tri-City Americans (17-35-4-1) 7:05 PM

After an incredible run for the Winterhawks, the team has come back to earth over their last 10 games. The team is 5-3-1-1. To make matters worse their lead in the US Division has shrunk to just one point over Everett. Tri-City continued their tough season with three straight losses. The Winterhawks have not lost to the Americans this season as they are 5-0-0-0.

Victoria Royals (30-21-5-2) @ Vancouver Giants (30-21-3-2) 7:30 PM

Truthfully, this game could be the pick for the game of the night as well. The Giants and Royals are separated by just one point in the race for BC Division playoff seeding. The teams have duked it out seven times previously and Vancouver holds the slight edge with four regulations wins to Victoria’s three. The teams will play the next three games against one another.