Chance to win WHL championship has Oil Kings ready for big crowd, fierce battle against Thunderbirds
Global News
For the Edmonton Oil Kings, who have taken advantage of the return of the playoffs this season with a thrilling run to the WHL final, the stage is now set for a sensational finish.
With the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in the cancellation of the Western Hockey League playoffs for the past two seasons, the public health crisis has cheated young players hoping to play in big games out of that opportunity.
But for the Edmonton Oil Kings, who have taken advantage of the return of the playoffs this year with a thrilling run to the league’s final, the stage is now set for a sensational finish.
“I think it’s just great for the kids to be playing competitive hockey and playing… for something,” Oil Kings head coach Brad Lauer told reporters after the team practised in Edmonton on Friday.
“It’s something they’ve been missing.”
After a thrilling win over the Seattle Thunderbirds thanks to a goal scored in the dying seconds of Game 4 on Wednesday, the Oil Kings are up 3-1 in their series and have given themselves a chance to win a WHL championship at home on Saturday night.
READ MORE: Oil Kings coach impressed by players’ resilience to deliver Game 4 win against Thunderbirds
“They know what’s at stake,” Lauer said when asked how his players are feeling ahead of Game 5. “They’re having fun with it.
With many expecting a large crowd for Game 5 at Roger Place on Saturday night, something that has happened less often since the pandemic began, Oil Kings defenceman Luke Prokop said he and his teammates got a taste of what that may be like thanks to energetic crowds they played for in Washington in Game 3 and Game 4.
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