Oil Kings routed after scoring game’s first goal

REBELS 7, OIL KINGS 2

The Edmonton Oil Kings started well against the Red Deer Rebels on Friday, but it was pretty much downhill from there in the first game of a home-and-home series between the two teams.

Oil Kings forward Kobe Mohr scored 26 seconds into a 7-2 loss to the Rebels in Red Deer. The Oil Kings host the Rebels on Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at Rogers Place.

David Kope also scored for the Oil Kings in the loss, while goaltender Todd Scott turned away 33 shots.

Forward Kristian Reichel had a hat trick for Red Deer, while Mason McCarty, Arshdeep Bains, Brandon Hagel and Hunter Donohoe scored the others. Rebels goaltender Riley Lamb made 24 saves.

Mohr scored on the first shift of the game to give the Oil Kings a 1-0 lead.

Things turned when Oil Kings forward Trey Fix-Wolansky was assessed a five-minute major for cross checking at 8:42 to give the Rebels an extended power play. McCarty tied the game less than three minutes into the major.

Reichel put the Rebels up 2-1 on the power play 3:37 into the second period on a goaltender inference penalty to Ty Gerla. Reichel added another power-play goal at 17:59 of the period.

Kope pulled one back midway through the period with a shorthanded effort of his own, but the Kings’ efforts ended in a rout.