The Kings are in town for tonight's WHL action at the Credit Union Centre. Those Kings are the Edmonton Oil Kings and they will surely be facing a team with some tired legs.
The Saskatoon Blades are coming off 2 games in 3 nights in Brandon. That trip was capped off with a forced overnight stay in Brandon due to highway closures and winter storms.
Saskatoon is currently en route home and will be pulling up to the rink around the same time as the Oil Kings, maybe even later. Add to that the fact that Edmonton is a hard skating and quick team. Surely the odds are stacked up against the home town team.
Here are my keys to the game:
For Edmonton
- Get off to a quick start. Saskatoon is coming off a tough and long bus ride, Edmonton needs to use their speed early in the game.
- Be physical on the Blades defenders. Any time you have a chance to lay a hit, you have to take it. It could pay off with a forced turnover somewhere during the game.
- And Dylan Wruck and Michael St. Croix have to be the offensive leaders. They are relied upon more than 17 year old's likely should be, but they have to show why they are the teams top 2 scorers.
For Saskatoon
- Be quick breaking out of the defensive zone. With 3 games in 4 nights, you have to try and play as little as possible in your own zone and avoid the grind of trying to defend the cycle.
- Getting depth scoring will be big. Saskatoon has many weapons to go to, and a goal or two from the 3rd or 4th lines could be huge.
- And get a good performance in goal. That speaks pretty much for itself.
Game time goes at 7:05 at CUC. You can check it out on 92.9 The Bull starting with the pregame show at 6:30
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