The Calgary Hitmen saw their five-game win streak snapped in an 8-4 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday,
The Western Hockey League Battle of Alberta started with Marshall Finnie putting Edmonton on the board early. Ethan Moore responded with a power-play goal for the Hitmen. However, Lucas Sawchyn’s goal gave the Oil Kings a 2-1 lead after the first period.
From there, Edmonton went on to score the next five goals, with contributions from Gracyn Sawchyn, Miroslav Holinka, Blake Fiddler, Rylen Roersma and Finnie. Calgary finally got back on the scoreboard with Carter Yakemchuk’s 17th goal of the season on the power play, cutting the lead to 7-2. Moore would add another power-play goal of his own late in the third period, and now has 21 tallies on the season.
With just over 30 seconds remaining in regulation, Brandon Gorzynski scored on a breakaway to make it 7-4. Edmonton responded immediately, with Joe Iginla restoring the four-goal lead in the dying seconds.
Calgary outshot Edmonton 46-29. Moore earned a star for the second game in a row, having scored a pair of goals in back-to-back games.
The loss leaves the Hitmen (43-16-6) two points back of the Medicine Hat Tigers for first place in the Eastern Conference. Calgary has a game in hand with three contests left in its regular season. The Oil Kings (36-26-4) sit in seventh place in the conference but have also clinched a playoff spot.
Calgary is back in action at the Saddledome on Wednesday against Red Deer at 7 p.m. before making the return trip to Central Alberta for a game on Saturday. The Hitmen will wrap up the regular season on Sunday (2 p.m.) against the Tigers.
The Hitmen will then open the playoffs at home with Game 1 of their first-round series set for Friday, March 28 and Game 2 two days later.