Prince Albert Daily Herald
Photo Courtesy of Andy Devlin/LA Media The Edmonton Oil Kings pose after winning their third straight Central Division title.
The dominant team in the WHL’s Central Division during the 2020-21 season wrapped up their campaign in style on Thursday night.
The Edmonton Oil Kings finished off their campaign with an impressive 20-2-0-1 mark at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat as they came away with a 3-0 shutout over the Medicine Hat Tigers.
While the Oil Kings were able to capture their third straight Central Division title, the COVID-19 pandemic meant that they wouldn’t be able to showcase their squad in the playoffs for the second straight spring after reaching the Eastern Conference in 2019 before falling to the Prince Albert Raiders.
Prince Albert Daily Herald
Moe, Nachbaur and Paddock wrap up WHL careers
The strangest season in Prince Albert Raiders history concluded on Wednesday night with one of the most bizarre contests the team has ever taken part in.
With the team holding a 5-3 lead over the Swift Current Broncos at the 8:01 mark of the third period, Raiders netminder Max Paddock was given a snow shower by Broncos forward Josh Davies and proceeded to pummel him in the face as both players were down in the crease during a post-whistle scrum.
As a result of the play, Davies was given a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct, but Paddock was given a five-minute match penalty and a game misconduct for what the officials deemed as an attempt to injure.
They’ll square off with the Russians starting at 5:00 pm CST.
Canada will turn to Devon Levi between the pipes Wednesday despite him being one of the few players on the team never to play in Major Junior hockey. The 18-year-old from Quebec spent the 2019/2020 season playing for the CCHL’s Carleton Place Canadians where he turned heads with a 1.47 GAA and .941 SV% in 37 games. Those numbers were good enough to get him drafted in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL draft by the Florida Panthers. This year, Levi is plying his trade in NCAA D1 hockey with Northeastern University.