Goaltending critical in Oil Kings’ first series
Goaltending could give Edmonton edge in first round
On paper, this year’s Edmonton Oil Kings team doesn’t seem much different from the ones that have made it to the Western Hockey League final in the past.
The Oil Kings once again succeeded in locking down another 50-win season. They once again finished as the top team in the Eastern Conference. And, once again, they had an outstanding player between the pipes. Tristan Jarry was recently named a finalist for WHL goaltender of the year.
But the expectations with this team have been slightly different than in previous years. And that, the Oil Kings say, is a good thing as they get ready to face off against the Prince Albert Raiders in the first round of league playoffs on Saturday afternoon.
The afternoon start is because the NHL Oilers host the Calgary Flames on Saturday night. Furthermore, since NHL rules require that the rink is cleared at least three hours before gametime (8 p.m.), it could affect the junior game if overtime is required. In the event of overtime, the teams will play an overtime period and if the score remains tied, the outcome will be decided by a shootout.
“I think it feels a bit like it did two years ago,” said veteran forward Mitch Moroz. “There’s not as much pressure as last year. Last year it was Memorial Cup or die, and that was tough for our guys. This year we are a bit of an underdog and the guys are taking a little more pride in that.”
Underdog might not be the right word to describe this team, though. Going into the series against the eighth-place Raiders, a club that had to claw its way into the playoffs by defeating the Red Deer Rebels in a door-die game on Tuesday, the Oil Kings are certainly the favourite to win the series.
It will be an interesting matchup, considering how the regular season series between the clubs played out.
The Oil Kings haven’t defeated the Raiders in front of the home crowd at Rexall Place this year, or even last season. It seems there is a visitors’ advantage at play, as the Oil Kings did manage to upset the Raiders fans and pound the home team 9-1 and 7-5 in games at Prince Albert.
Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal is confident in his team’s ability to dismiss that record and essentially start from scratch. This is, after all, the playoffs.
“When you get into the playoffs, it’s a different season,” he says. “(Saturday) is Game 1 of a new season.
“I can tell you right now there is no first and eighth because the regular season is done,” he continued.
“It’s just two teams going into the playoffs. We don’t really look at where teams finished. We’re battling Prince Albert here to earn the right to move on. That’s the way we approach our hockey club.”
Raiders head coach Cory Clouston says while it will be a “very tough uphill battle” for his team, his group is confident going into this series, having already played in some do-or-die hockey.
“We’re going to approach this game the same way we’ve approached the last 15 games or so,” Clouston said. “We’ve been in a tough situation, basically playing must-win games for the past month and a half. We knew we couldn’t afford to lose many.”
The Raiders also come loaded with a dangerously skilled offence. Leon Draisaitl, expected to be a high NHL draft pick this summer, is a forward the Oil Kings know they have to be constantly aware of.
In terms of goaltending, Clouston would not make any comments about who will be starting this series, but if Tuesday’s game in Red Deer was any indication, 17-yearold Nick McBride will be getting the start.
“Probably the biggest strength, the biggest difference is going to be the goaltending, Tristan Jarry compared to Nick McBride,” said Laxdal.
“This is going to be a huge learning curve for McBride, but he’s played very well for them down the stretch. I know (Clouston) is very confident in him and he’s played well for them.”
Whether or not this series comes down to goaltending, the Oil Kings are not afraid to grind out wins, something they’ve been doing a lot of this season.
“This was a different kind of 50-win season,” admitted captain Griffin Reinhart.
“The last couple years we were a bit more skilled. This year we found a different way to win, which was equally important. We were just grinding out wins.”
“I think the (Oil Kings) teams in the past maybe had a bit more skill,” said veteran forward Curtis Lazar. “But with this team, you know we have that character and the heart.
“That’s why I love going out and playing. We leave it all out on the ice and it’s exciting hockey to watch. We’re not afraid to grind out games. It’s going to be real interesting to see how we fare.”