Oil Kings spoil Søgaard’s stellar outing

By Ryan McCracken on January 12, 2019.

NEWS FILE PHOTO
Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender Mads Søgaard stops Edmonton Oil Kings winger Trey Fix-Wolansky on a breakaway during a Western Hockey League game at the Canalta Centre on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. Søgaard was named the WHL's goalie of the week for the week ending Feb. 10, 2019.

Mads Søgaard was one save shy of stealing the show on Saturday night at the Canalta Centre.

The 18-year-old Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender stopped 32 shots in his first game since returning from the IIHF World Junior Championship with Denmark, but the Edmonton Oil Kings just managed to squeak away with a 2-1 overtime victory thanks to Vince Loschiavo’s sudden death game-winner.

The matchup also served as Brett Kemp’s first game against his former Oil Kings, as well as Josh Williams’ first outing against the Tigers following a transaction between the two teams at Thursday’s trade deadline, but both young forwards were held off the scoresheet in the defensively wrought battle.

Tyler Preziuso gave Medicine Hat an early lead when he parked himself in front of the net and deflected a shot from Linus Nassen past Oil Kings netminder Dylan Myskiw just as Edmonton’s Trey Fix-Wolansky stepped out of the box after serving a hooking minor.

The penalties kept coming, with seven minors handed out in the opening frame, but Myskiw settled into his crease and Søgaard held steady with nine saves in the first to keep Medicine Hat in front at the break.

The Oil Kings fought back into the contest midway through the second when Andrew Fyten found David Kope in front from behind the net to even things up entering the third period.

Edmonton continued to push the pace into the third. While Søgaard refused to give up the lead with nine saves in the frame to force overtime, Loschiavo finally beat the big Dane over the blocker three minutes into sudden death to secure the victory.

Myskiw collected the win on 20 saves, pushing the Oil Kings to 23-14-4-3 on the year.

Medicine Hat fell to 23-16-2-2 with the loss.

The Tigers return to the Canalta Centre on Wednesday to host the Oil Kings in a rematch at 7 p.m.