Oil Kings strike early, often against Raiders
Edmonton power-play unit goes three for five
Cam Tait, The Edmonton Journal
Published: 2:01 am
EDMONTON - Someone asked Mark Pysyk if he wanted to keep the puck from his first Western Hockey League assist Sunday.
The 15-year-old offered a smile and politely declined.
"No, I think I'll save it for my first goal," he said.
Pysyk's assist came in the third period of the Edmonton Oil Kings' 5-1 win over the Prince Albert Raiders.
In only his second game since being called up from Midget AAA, Pysyk was working the power play. He made a nice move at the blue-line to keep the puck in the Raiders zone, which resulted in a Brett Breitkreuz goal with 1:23 left.
Pysyk said he was surprised to hear he was in the Oil Kings' starting lineup in front of a Sunday matinee crowd of 5,260 at Rexall Place.
"When they called my name before the game, I couldn't believe it," the Sherwood Park native said.
"I could barely skate when we first went on the ice. But after a few shifts, I got more comfortable."
Pysyk had an impressive debut Friday night against the Rebels in Red Deer and continued to win the praise of Oil Kings head coach Steve Pleau.
"Mark played real well for us," Pleau said. "He's a great puck-moving defenceman, and in today's game, that's what a team really needs."
With the win, the Oil Kings move to 14-18-2-4 on the season for 34 points. They are now seven points out of the playoff picture. Edmonton has scored nine goals in the last two games.
"I thought we played real well for 54 minutes today," said Pleau. "I don't know what we were doing in the last six minutes. We could have gave it away ... inexperience, I guess."
Edmonton was three-for-five on the power play.
"We couldn't get the lead and that hurt us," said Raiders coach Bruno Campese. "Our penalty killers let us down. But give Edmonton credit -- they played very well on the power play."
There could have been a few more if it weren't for the heroics of Raiders goaltender Dustin Butler, who was peppered with 35 shots, including 15 in the second frame.
The Oil Kings stepped on the gas in the final 20 minutes, building on a 3-1 lead. Shayne Neigum scored a power-play goal with under seven minutes to go. He and Tomas Vincour, who was all over the ice and collected two assists, had their own give-and-go game going, which resulted in Neigum's second of the season. Breitkreuz then iced the cake.
Edmonton was first on the scoreboard with just under seven minutes left in the first frame after Brent Raedeke converted a beautiful pass from Breitkreuz, who was behind the net on the right side.
Defenceman Cameron Cepak gave the Oil Kings a 2-0 lead with a bullet from the point just a minute into the second
period.
Prince Albert answered at the 6:41 mark of the second period when Ryan McDonald's wrist shot beat Edmonton netminder Dalyn Flette upstairs.
The Oil Kings regained their two-goal cushion 1:23 later when blue-liner Brandon Lockerby let one fly from the point. It was Lockerby's eighth of the season and second in as many nights.
Flette made a few key saves in the first 20 minutes, including a glove grab off Zach Sim.
In all, Flette turned away 26 Raiders shots.
ICE CHIPS -- The Oil Kings wore their retro jersey with a dark blue background ... Raiders assistant coach and former Oiler Dave Manson wasn't with the team Sunday -- he was scouting in Calgary at the Midget Macs tournament ... Two minor hockey teams from St. Paul -- the Canadians and the Snipers -- played on Rexall Place ice following the game.
ctait@thejournal.canwest.com
NEXT UP
BRANDON WHEAT KINGS at OIL KINGS
Today, 6 P.M., REXALL PLACE , TEAM 1260
- Season series: Edmonton lost 6-3 in Brandon on Nov. 9
- Oil Kings' record: 14-18-4-2, fifth in the Central Division with 32 points.
- Last five: 3-1-0-1
- Not on the bench: Forward Robin Figren, who is playing for Sweden at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
- Wheat Kings' record: 23-12-0-1 for 47 points, good for second place in the East Division
- Last five: 2-3
- Homecoming: Brandon goaltender Andrew Clark is from Sherwood Park, and Jordan Hale's home is Lacombe.
New Year's Eve fireworks?
"They have a great power play -- it will be a good challenge for us," said Oil Kings head coach Steve Pleau. "And it could be a fun game. There were a few fights in the last game we played them, so who knows?"
© The Edmonton Journal 2007