San Diego Sabers Set to Face Vernal Oilers This Weekend

by James Karr

When: Saturday, October 28 at 8:00 PM PST & Sunday, October 29 at 1:00 PM

Where: Icetown Carlsbad (Carlsbad, CA)

Buy Tickets: Click here

Carlsbad Icetown, Saturday, October 28, 2023 - The anticipation is building as hockey fans in San Diego gear up for an exciting showdown at Carlsbad Icetown. The San Diego Sabers, struggling to find their form this season, are set to take on the Vernal Oilers, a team riding high with only one loss in overtime.

Scoring Leaders

When it comes to offensive firepower, the Vernal Oilers have certainly set the ice on fire this season. With players like Presley Toth, Mario Paganini, and Seungpyo Cho, who have 12, 12, and 11 points respectively, they've been a scoring machine. San Diego's top guns, Felix Gouin and Justin Ouellet, have been impressive too, with 16 and 14 points, but they'll need to be at their best to compete with the Oilers' high-scoring lineup.

Recent Performances

The Vernal Oilers have been unstoppable in their last five games, winning four and losing only one in overtime to Seattle. Their latest game was a convincing 10-4 victory against the Rogue Valley Royals on October 15. In contrast, the San Diego Sabers have had a more turbulent run, winning two of their last five games and losing the other three. Their most recent game saw them fall to the Long Beach Shredders with a score of 4-2 on October 21.

Special Teams

In the special teams department, the Oilers have a slightly more efficient power play, converting at 24.14%, compared to the Sabers' 20.31%. When it comes to penalty killing, the Oilers boast a robust 91.67% success rate, while the Sabers have a respectable 77.19%.

Keys to the Game

For the Sabers to pull off an upset against the Oilers, they'll need to focus on their special teams. A more efficient power play and penalty kill could make a significant difference. Players like Gouin and Ouellet will have to continue their impressive scoring form, while the Sabers' defense will need to be vigilant against the Oilers' high-scoring forwards.

In contrast, the Oilers will aim to maintain their winning record, relying on their top-notch offense and penalty-killing prowess. They should look to pressure the Sabers early and capitalize on any power-play opportunities.