Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15663
Game day thread: Edmonton @ Wheat Kings, 7:30 PM
1/16/2010 at 12:15 PM
Edmonton Oil Kings (10-25-4-7, 12th in Eastern Conference)
Top scorers: Mark Pysyk (7+16=23), Michael St. Croix (8+12=20), Mike Piluso (9+10=19), Garry Nunn (9+8=17)
Top scoring defenceman: Pysyk (7+16=23)
Probable starting goaltender: With Torrie Jung having started both last night and Wednesday, I'll guess that rookie Cam Lanigan (3-5-2-2, 0.897 save percentage, 3.26 goals against average) gets the call tonight..
Manitobans: Devin Balness (Beausejour), Michael St. Croix (Winnipeg), Lane Werbowski (Winnipeg)
Brandon Wheat Kings (29-15-0-3, 3rd in Eastern Conference)
Top scorers: Matt Calvert (30+30=60), Aaron Lewadniuk (21+34=55), Brayden Schenn (15+36=51), Jay Fehr (21+29=50, injured)
Top scoring defenceman: Colby Robak (8+35=43)
Probable starting goaltender: I've been brutal at guessing over the past few weeks, but feel safe in saying that the plan was to split the two weekend starts between De Serres and Andrew Hayes (19-11-0-2, 0.904 save percentage, 2.72 goals against average). That would mean Hayes gets the call tonight.
The Wheat Kings will be hoping to go 2-for-2 on this weekend's mini homestand tonight as they take on the struggling Edmonton Oil Kings.
Edmonton has won just twice in regulation since November 15 (2-14-2-4), however one of those losses was a tight 4-2 decision in Brandon on December 12.
This will be Wheat King fans' first chance to see former Brandon first round bantam pick Klarc Wilson in an Edmonton uniform. Wilson was of course traded for Brent Raedeke in the days leading up to the WHL trade deadline.
I'll have scratches and lineups approx 1/2 hour before game time along with post-game pics.
As always it would be great to hear peoples' thoughts on the matchup