PHOTO REBBECA JANE PHOTOGRAPHY EDMONTON – The Edmonton Jr. Oilers Blue opened their postseason in high gear on Tuesday night, delivering a dominant 4-1 victory over the Sherwood Park Kings at Bill Hunter Arena. Entering the series as the top seed in the AEHL U18 AAA North Division, the Oilers Blue validated their regular-season dominance …
PHOTO REBBECA JANE PHOTOGRAPHY
EDMONTON – The Edmonton Jr. Oilers Blue opened their postseason in high gear on Tuesday night, delivering a dominant 4-1 victory over the Sherwood Park Kings at Bill Hunter Arena.
Entering the series as the top seed in the AEHL U18 AAA North Division, the Oilers Blue validated their regular-season dominance by dictating the tempo from the opening puck drop. With a relentless 50-shot attack and a rock-solid performance from goaltender Ethan Berard, Edmonton effectively neutralized a Kings team that had been riding high after a first-round sweep. The win gives the Oilers Blue a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series and puts them just one victory away from the North Division Finals.
After kinda a shake the rust off the first 10 minutes, the Jr Oilers Blue dominated after that point for the rest of the game. Sherwood Park had a few PPs that didn’t convert thanks to the Blues’ elite PK. Blue found a way to get the first one and the momentum. Berard was also rock solid to start the first period. He made multiple great saves.
Blue absolutely dominated the entire period. Sherwood Park was lucky to only be down 2 after that. Rinas made a few nice stops but not much offensively for the Kings, as they only recorded 8 shots in the period. There was a lot of dumping and changing from SP. The CAC line was absolutely buzzing all night. Generating multiple scoring chances and potting 2 to get the Boys going.
Overall, a solid third period from Blue. Sherwood Park tried their best to get a push going, but Blue handled it well defensively. After the win, you could tell the excitement from the guys, but also knowing the “jobs not finished”. It was a very physical game and had a lot of scrums. You can tell these teams don’t like each other. Pumped for game 2.
⭐ First Star: The CAC Line (Boe, Guimaraes, Dawson) The trio of Grayson Boe, Ben Guimaraes, and Jack Dawson was the undisputed engine of the Oilers’ offence. Their chemistry was on full display as they combined for the game’s first two goals, effectively tilting the ice every time they hopped over the boards. Whether it was Boe’s finishing, Guimaraes’ elite vision, or Dawson’s relentless work rate to keep plays alive, the CAC line set a pace that Sherwood Park simply couldn’t match.
⭐⭐ Second Star: Eric Ripka (Forward) Ripka played a fast, playoff-style game that eventually broke the Kings’ spirit. Beyond his third-period goal that iced the game, Ripka was a force on the forecheck and a primary reason Edmonton managed to sustain pressure in the offensive zone. His ability to drive to the dirty areas of the ice opened up lanes for his teammates all night long.
⭐⭐⭐ Third Star: Ethan Berard (Goaltender) Berard was the ultimate equalizer. While Edmonton controlled much of the play, the Kings had several high-danger looks on the power play that could have swung the momentum. Berard remained a calm, steady presence, finishing with 30 saves on 31 shots and a stellar .968 save percentage. He tracked the puck perfectly through traffic and gave his team the confidence to stay aggressive.
The series now shifts to Sherwood Park for Game 2 this Saturday, March 7, at the Randy Rosen Rink (2:30 PM).
The Kings face a must-win scenario on home ice to force a deciding Game 3. Meanwhile, the Oilers Blue will look to replicate their dominant 50-shot performance. It’s going to be an absolute battle on the road. I recommend that anyone come watch this game at Randy Rosen. Great atmosphere and some great hockey. Also curious what adjustments will be made for both teams. Sherwood Park struggled to get chances outside of the first 10 min. Excited for Game 2.
Ewan Manning
