Oil Kings thrash Tigers, push them to the brink

MEDICINE HAT — There’s been an idea floating around the Edmonton Oil Kings’ dressing room through their Western Hockey League play off series against the Medicine Hat Tigers. “Be better.” Although the Oil Kings had a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal, there was room for improvement. There were issues with taking penalties, issues with consistency, and not enough plays being capitalized upon.

In their 9-2 dumping of the Tigers on Tuesday night at the Medicine Hat Arena, the Oil Kings did more than just find their game. They unleashed it upon a helpless-looking Medicine Hat team that was flattened before it knew what hit it. The Oil Kings turned a 3-0 first-period lead into a 7-0 rout after the second period en route to a decisive win in the third game of the best-of-seven series.

“Our first two games aren’t the best two games we’ve had,” forward T.J. Foster said on Tuesday morning before rejoining the Oil Kings; a foot injury had kept him out of action the last few weeks.

Playing in a rink that was full of fans still riding the high of the Tigers’ first-round upset of the Saskatoon Blades, the Oil Kings outshot the Tigers 22-2 in the first 20 minutes and owned every facet of the game all night.

Henrik Samuelsson scored the first two goals and Martin Gernat’s point shot bounced in off of Tigers’ D-man Tyler Lewington and past Cam Lanigan to make it 3-0.

The Tigers’ passionate fan base let its frustrations out on the players and the officials at the end of the first period and found plenty more to bemoan in the second period.

The Oil Kings will look to advance to the WHL Eastern Conference final with a win Wednesday night. Game time is 7 p.m. (Radio: TEAM 1260).