{"slides_column":"2","slides_scroll":"1","dots":"false","arrows":"true","autoplay":"true","autoplay_interval":"5000","loop":"true","rtl":"false","speed":"2000","center_mode":"false"}

Game Notes: Oil Caps Host the Blues

Arrive early to tonight’s game to catch the release of the Virden Oil Capitals 2014 Christmas Video. Lights will go down by 7:25.
Don’t forget your Valleyview COOP “Tin for the Bin” items for the non-perishable food drive. All collected items from tonight and tomorrow night will be donated to the Virden Christmas Cheer.

Tonight’s Game Notes:

Welcome fans to tonight’s MJHL action featuring the visiting Winnipeg Blues (21-6-6) and your home town Virden Oil Capitals (15-13-4). Tonight’s game along with the rest of the month of December is brought to you by theArlington Hotel in Maryfield, SK.  (Click to like them on Facebook)

It’s game 33 on the season for the Oil Caps, but it’s the first game at home in a stretch where they will play 10 of their next 13 games at Tundra Oil & Gas Place. This includes four games at home in the next eight nights as well as playing six of their first seven games at home in the month of January.

The Oil Caps are 7-3 in their last 10, but are coming off a loss on Tuesday night on the road to the Dauphin Kings. That game saw the Kings score a pair of second period goals en route to a 6-3 over the visiting Oil Caps. Ben Williams scored his team-leading 16th of the season whileTyler Ham and Lucas Oliver also added singles.

Tonight is the fifth meeting of the season between these two clubs with three of the first four meetings heading to overtime or a shootout. Head-to-head, Virden is 2-1-1 against the Blues while on the flip side, the Blues are 2-0-2 against the Oil Caps.

Virden will look to avenge their most recent shut out loss to the Blues tonight and take an edge in the season series. Winnipeg will be playing without one of their top scorers tonight, Jackson Keane, who was named to the Canada West roster for the 2014 World Junior A Challengethat is taking place next week in Kindersley, SK. Keane is the only player from the MJHL as this year’s event while Dauphin’s Assistant Coach, Marc Berry, and Medora native, Trent Cassan of the Yorkton Terriers, will be on the bench for this year’s tournament.

For the Oil Caps, Williams has been red hot as of late, picking up seven points (4 G, 3 A) in his last four games. Equally as impressive has been Soren Frederiksen who is in the midst of a three-game point streak after having his nine-game streak snapped against the Blues in the 5-0 loss on November 29th.

Virden will play without Jake Dudar and Corey Haverstick tonight, but will give an opportunity to local product, Derek Cross, of the Yellowhead Chiefs to get in his first action of the season at the Junior A level. Cross is this year’s Captain for the Chiefs and has notched 10 points (2 G, 8 A) on the season while anchoring the blue line.

Of couse, in case you miss(ed) tonight’s showing of the 2014 Oil Caps Christmas Video, you can visit the Oil Caps website to see it again, or share the video across Twitter and Facebook with friends and family far and wide during the holiday season. The Oil Caps organization and players would like to wish you a happy holiday and thank you for your continued support so far this season and into the New Year.

If you forget to do so tonight, the annual Valleyview COOP “Tin for the Bin” food drive will take place tomorrow night as well with all collected items going towards the Virden Christmas Cheer.