04/19/12 Oilers Prospects Shine In Playoff Action

The Edmonton Oil Kings will make their first appearance in a Conference Final since 1973 on Friday night, and Oilers prospects are helping to lead them there. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Barons are up one to nothing in their first round series against the Houston Aeros after a dominant performance in game one, which was spearheaded by some young Oilers.

Oil Kings

Kristians Pelss: The first pick of the seventh round in 2010 (181st overall) has four goals, two assists and a plus-5 rating in the Oil Kings' eight playoff games before Friday's action; good for fourth on the team in points. One of his goals was a game winner. Pelss had a fine season this year, notching 28 goals and 50 points in 63 games, which is double his goal output from 2010-11.

Travis Ewanyk: The Oilers selected Ewanyk in the third round of the 2011 draft with the pick they received from Calgary in exchange for Steve Staios. He missed most of the season with a shoulder injury, but he has picked up 3-2-5 and a plus-5 in Edmonton's eight games.

Martin Gernat: The 122nd overall pick in the 2011 draft has 2-2-4 and a plus-5 so far in the playoffs. Gernat had a strong rookie season in the WHL, scoring 9-46-55 and a whopping plus-41 in just 60 games. Not too shabby for a defenseman.

The Oil Kings are playing some fantastic hockey and Oilers prospects are right in the middle of it. They'll have a tougher test against Moose Jaw, and a full preview of the series can be found here.

Thunder

Olivier Roy: The young goaltender has a 0.933 Sv% and 2.11 GAA in six playoff games for Stockton. His save percentage is fourth in the ECHL playoffs among goalies who have played at least six games. He had a very strong season for the Thunder, posting a 0.925 Sv% and 2.49 GAA in 40 games.

Barons

Tyler Pitlick: Pitlick came on strong in the latter part of the AHL season. After a slow start, he finished with 7-16-23 in 62 games with a minus-1. He scored the first goal - only goal the Barons needed - in a 5-0 drubbing of the Houston Aeros in game one.

Teemu Hartikainen: The Oilers found a hidden gem in Hartikainen, who is a former 6th round pick from 2008 (163rd overall). He scored the Barons' second goal in game one and finished the evening with five shots on net.

Anton Lander: During the regular season Lander scored a goal and four assists for the Barons in 14 games after being sent down. He scored the fifth goal in game one on a breakaway with four minutes left in the third period, and had five shots on the evening.

Magnus Paajarvi: Going down to the farm helped Paajarvi regain some of his scoring touch. He scored 7-18-25 in 34 games with the Barons during the regular season, and tallied an assist and two shots in game one.

Hunter Tremblay: The Oilers signed Tremblay to a two-way contract last March after an impressive university career. The pending RFA had a goal, an assist, a plus-3 and four shots in game one and is making a case to stay in the organization.

Tanner House: The Oilers gave House a two year contract worth $105,000 per year in the AHL a few days before they signed Tremblay. The former Best Defensive Forward in Hockey East with the University of Maine Black Bears had a goal, three shots and a plus-1 in game one.

You may be noticing a pattern when it comes to the amount of shots the Barons players each had. Plante, Teubert, Vande Velde and Cornet had no points in game one, but combined for ten shots on goal. In fact, the Barons dominated in shots by a margin of 48-14. Game two goes Friday.