Tonight’s Game Host:
Welcome fans to tonight’s MJHL action featuring the visiting Winkler Flyers (24-11-7) and your home townVirden Oil Capitals (22-15-6).Tonight’s game is brought to you byArlington Hotel in Maryfield. (Click to visit the Arlington Hotel Facebook page.)
Make sure you grab a copy of the 2015 Oil Caps Souvenir Poster made possible by Cathedral Energy Services, Higginbotham Electric, Corex Resources, and Sunrise Credit Union. The first 600 people in attendance will receive a poster tonight.
We’ve got a rematch on our hands tonight from last Friday when the Oil Caps downed the visiting Winkler Flyers by a score of 5-1. Virden has since had a free lesson given to them by Waywayseecappo on Tuesday night when the Wolverines came into Tundra Oil & Gas Place and earned two points with a 3-2 win.
Tonight marks just the third meeting of the season between these two clubs. Virden has taken both of the first two meetings, but you can expect a hungrier Flyers lineup tonight who are working to stay ahead of the Oil Caps for 4th spot in the standings. Keep in mind, if the playoffs started tomorrow, this would be your first round playoff matchup with the 4th seed earning home ice.
Despite the same two teams squaring off tonight as last Friday, there will be some new faces on each side for the teams to adjust to. You saw Kurt Johnas and Cody Durdle make their Oil Caps debuts on Tuesday night, but you haven’t seen what the Flyers have reloaded with.
Watch tonight for the newly acquired Ryne Keller wearing #9 for the Flyers. He was picked up from the Battlefords North Stars prior to the deadline after serving as the North Stars captain this season. The 20-year-old forward/defenseman had 15 points (3 G, 12 A) in 36 games before being picked up by the Flyers. Winkler also acquired goaltender, Devon Fordyce, from the OCN Blizzard. Fordyce’s last visit to Virden was not a memorable one for him as he was on the hook for five goals in a 9-2 loss to the Oil Caps on December 16th.
Jake Dudar will make his return to the lineup tonight after missing the last six weeks with an injury. You can read more about his season in tonight’s Player Spotlight profile. Lucas Oliverwill remain out of the lineup tonight, but is expected to return in the near future.
[Sean Kuehn stops Flyers’ Cam Whyte on a penalty shot during last Friday’s game.]
Sean Kuehn stops Flyers’ Cam Whyte on a penalty shot during last Friday’s game.
From a statistical stand point, the Oil Caps are the 2nd highest scoring team in the MJHL next to the Portage Terriers (217) with a 157 goals scored. The Flyers are right there as well with 154 goals, but have a game in hand. Virden has given up 144 goals on the year while Winkler has given up just 138.
On the special teams, Virden’s power play ranks 5th overall at 16.34% while Winkler ranks 11th at 12.79%. Virden ranks 8th on the penalty kill at 81.73% while the Flyers sit in 9th with an 80% kill rate.
Make sure you sign into tonight’s game on the Oil Caps App and enjoy game four of this five-game homestand at Tundra Oil & Gas Place.