Weekly Recap: Oil Kings salvage the split
6 years ago
It was a quiet week for the Oil Kings as they only played a couple of games over Thanksgiving week. They started things off by playing host to the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday with a chance to climb back to .500 on the year.
However, Edmonton got off to a rough start, as they found themselves down 3-0 just 20 minutes into this one. While they did put home a couple in the middle frame, the deficit proved to be too much to overcome as the Wheaties held off the Oil Kings for a 7-3 victory.
The problems were consistent with those that had plagued them through the first week of the season. They made four trips to the box, gave up a powerplay goal at a crucial point and were a measly 41% in the faceoff dot.
The struggles in the faceoff circle continue to be a concern, and it’s something Head Coach Steve Hamilton touched on during my chat with him heading into this weekend’s games.
“When you chase the play 62% of the time it’s a harder game to play. It’s harder to generate offence. It takes that attacking mentality off the table, Hamilton said. “As a group collectively we need to get better, and that’s five guys, not just the centermen.”
With their record falling to 2-4-0, the Oil Kings welcomed the Everett Silvertips to Rogers Place for a Sunday afternoon affair and I must admit, this was one of the better games I’ve seen the Oil Kings play this season.
They managed to score the game’s first three goals, all in the first period and despite a fairly sloppy second frame, they battled through for a 5-1 victory. Josh Dechaine also got his first start of the year in this one, and stood tall, stopping 22 shots en route to the victory.
The fact that the team lost a step during that second period, but stayed even-keeled and rebounded in the third, really impressed Hamilton.
“It was a mature win in the sense that we didn’t ride that rollercoaster nearly to the degree that we had earlier in the year.”
Even though the Oil Kings played well, the game lacked intensity. It seemed like they may have caught Everett on a bit of an off night. But, despite a fairly dull game, tempers flared during the final seconds after Silvertips defenseman Jake Christiansen delivered a fairly high hit with just seconds remaining in the game. I didn’t like the hit at all, and neither did Tyson Gruninger, who took exception and went right after Christiansen. The two dropped the gloves with just 1.6 seconds remaining, which sparked a line brawl that saw a whopping 36 penalty minutes handed out.
Fists were thrown and words were said, but Hamilton had no problem with the way his team handled things.
“I don’t mind the team aspect of that,” he said. “Our guys are all in it together.”
Finishing the week with a split is nothing to complain about from an Oil Kings perspective, especially given the fact they played two teams who boasted better records than them. Let’s wrap it up:
3 STARS OF THE WEEK
FIRST STAR – TOMAS SOUSTAL
It may be because he’s the new kid on the block and I noticed him more, but I thought #11 played two very solid games even though he was still adjusting to his new teammates.
The 20-year-old veteran finished with three assists in his first two games, one of which was a very impressive play as he jolted up the wing, banked a pass to himself then seamed a gorgeous feed to Trey Fix-Wolansky to open the scoring against Everett. That goal in particular really showcased his unique combination of size, speed, and vision.
He made a good impression on Steve Hamilton as well, who had nothing but praise for the team’s newest addition, “Big, strong guy, but not out of place in those skilled situations” he added, “You could see the veteran presence he brings right away when you put him in the line-up.”
SECOND STAR – TREY FIX-WOLANSKY
There’s going to come a time where #27 doesn’t get one of my three stars, but you can’t ignore a player who’s gotten a point in every one of the team’s games and that’s exactly what Fix-Wolansky has done.
He finished this week with three goals, two assists and seven shots on goal in the team’s two games. His finishing ability is second to none and for a smaller player, he isn’t afraid to get into the tough areas of the ice.
He drives this team’s offense and the addition of Tomas Soustal will only make the Oil KIngs top line more lethal.
THIRD STAR – JOSH DECHAINE
The 19-year-old finally got his chance to start a game, and he made the most of it, stopping 22 of the 23 shots he faced. Even though the Oil Kings possessed the puck for the majority of the night, Dechaine was calm and collected when the Silvertips began putting on some pressure. He also did a good job of holding the Oil Kings lead when they began to slip in the second period.
“I’ve been waiting a little bit here, but it’s good to get in here and have a good team game like that,” said Dechaine in his postgame availability.
In my eyes, Dechaine has earned another start. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets the call during one, or both, of the upcoming double-headers.
THE GOOD
Feb 26, 2017; Hollywood, CA, USA; Jackie Chan gives a thumbs up after placing some panda stuffed animals on the edge of the stage before the start of the 89th Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY NETWORK
- The penalty kill was much better this week. They finished 7/8 (87.5%).
- The offense continued to click this week, putting up another eight goals in the two games. They’re starting to show some depth as well with players like Nick Bowman, Colton Kehler, Andrei Pavlenko, and Kobe Mohr all playing some pretty good hockey.
- Conner McDonald and Will Warm continue to improve. The Oil Kings may have a really nice top pair developing right in front of them with these two. They both skate fairly well and can move the puck, two aspects that are becoming increasingly important in today’s game.
- For a young team, they showed some heart in that final win over Everett. Not just during the fight at the end, but all throughout the game they proved that they won’t be pushed around. I liked that aspect of their game coming through.
- They won the battle on the shot clock in both games, combining to outshoot their opponents by a total of 61 to 55. Funny how when you possess the puck and shoot more, you often get better results!
THE BAD
- Coming into this week they were 37.5% in the faceoff circle, and while they did improve, I’m not willing to give them a pass with the 44.3% they put up over the past two games. Better? Yes. Good enough? Nope. Not only does the number need to improve, but they need to win the big faceoffs at crucial times. Maybe it will come with more experience.
- Again, while the power-play did improve, finishing the week at 23%, it’s not good enough. They continue to draw tons of power plays, which is great, but they need to cash in on more chances, especially with the offensive firepower that they have.
- While Josh Dechaine was great, Travis Child and Boston Bilous were not. The two allowed five goals on just 22 shots during the loss to Brandon (2 empty netters). Consistent goaltending is an obvious need for any good team and the Oil Kings need to start getting that from Travis Child, who was brought in over the off-season to be the solid number one guy.
- They need to continue to improve in their own end. They continue to allow the other team to establish and sustain an offensive cycle for too easily. Not only does it allow for their opposition to create more offensive chances, but it wears down your team and hurts your ability to push the play at the other end of the rink.
UP NEXT
A busy week for the Oil Kings as they head across Saskatchewan and into Manitoba for four games over the next week.
Tomorrow, they’ll be in Brandon, looking to avenge last week’s 7-3 loss. Then they’ll finish up a back-to-back set in Moose Jaw, when they take on a 5-1-0 Warriors squad.
They’ll kick off another string of back-to-backs on Saturday when they visit Swift Current where the Broncos are currently undefeated on the year with six wins. The road trip wraps up with a Sunday afternoon affair against another high-powered group in Regina. Despite loads of talent, Regina has stumbled a little out of the gate, going 3-3-1 to start the year.
Four very tough match-ups in just 5 days will prove to be a real test for Hamilton and his young Oil Kings squad.
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