Tonight’s Game Notes:
Welcome fans to tonight’s MJHL action featuring the visiting OCN Blizzard (19-35-5) and your home town Virden Oil Capitals (30-18-10). Tonight’s game is the final regular season home game brought to you by The Arlington Hotel in Maryfield. (Click to like the Arlington Hotel on Facebook!)
Just like that, we are staring down the barrel of the post-season. Game number 59 of the season is upon us and the final home game of the regular season schedule is on tap for this evening.
Home-ice in the playoffs is still in the picture for the Oil Caps, but they’re going to need some help from their good friends, the Swan Valley Stampeders, and old pals, the Selkirk Steelers. Both of those teams will face the Winkler Flyers in their final two contests tonight and Tuesday night. That situation needs to fall in place with a pair of Oil Caps victories and then they’re in business.
It was a gigantic sized monkey off the back of the Oil Caps players last night as they snapped their four-game winless streak. Ben Williams had a pair of goals while Devan Schramassisted on both of Williams’ tallies and scored the game tying goal in the second period. Sean Kuehn only saw 22 shots on the night, but made a couple highlight reel saves in the process. Tempers flared late in the third between the two clubs, but after league review, no suspensions were handed out to any of the players involved from either team.
Aside from home-ice, a few things remain up for grabs for the Oil Caps. Winning their final two games will allow them to tie their win total (franchise record) from last season at 32. It will also allow them to add to their new points record of 70 after they surpassed 68 (last year’s record) with last night’s win. Williams has a chance to join Soren Frederiksen in the 30-goal club. He has 28 on the season now after last night’s effort. The Altus Geomatics Three Stars race is very tight with one game remaining. Frederiksen and Schram are each tied with 22 points while Kuehn has 18 and Williams with 17. First stars are awarded five points, second stars with three points, and third stars receive one point in the season standings.
This award, among others, will be awarded this Thursday night at the Oil Caps Year-End Awards Banquet presented by FoxTail Hauling Ltd. A prime rib supper, door prizes, jersey auction, and more will all be on the itinerary for Thursday night’s festivities. Tickets are still availalbe by calling the Oil Caps office.
Stay tuned during tonight’s second intermission when Richard Ward, Brian Johnston, andBrad Hayward will each get their chance at winning $50,000 in the Sunrise Credit Union Hockey Challenge Final! Each of the contestants have qualified for this event through a series of contests throughout the season and will join the Sunrise Credit Union staff on the ice tonight for the chance at the cash prize!
Finally – someone in attendance tonight WILL WIN a Trip for 4 to Phoenix, AZ in the All Season Properties Pack the Place II Vacation Giveaway. The draw will take place during the first intermission. Good luck!!