WINNIPEG — Tyler Horstmann scored the game-winner just 1:07 into overtime as the Edmonton Oil Kings defeated the Winnipeg Ice 5-4 Friday to take Game 1 of their WHL Eastern Conference final series.

Dylan Guenther scored a pair of goals and added an assist in the Edmonton win.

Benjamin Zloty scored twice for the Ice.

A wild seesaw of a game, Winnipeg struck first as Mikey Milne scored at the 8:34 mark of the first period.

After that, Edmonton would respond with four goals capped off by Logan Dowhaniuk netting his first of the playoffs at 7:30 of the second to give the Oil Kings a 4-1 advantage.

The Ice would storm back in the third period starting with Zloty scoring his two goals over the first 9:20 of the frame and finishing off with Owen Pederson scoring at 11:24 to tie the game up at 4-4 and send it to overtime.

Unfortunately for Winnipeg, that momentum during its third-period rally didn't carry over as Horstmann finished things quickly for Edmonton.

This matchup is a battle between the two teams who finished with the two best records in the WHL during the regular season.

Winnipeg has 111 points and a 53-10-3-2 record while the Oil Kings finished with 104 wins with a 50-14-3-1.

Game 2 will go Saturday in Winnipeg again.

The WHL's Western Conference final also got started Friday.

The Kamloops Blazers took the opener of their series with the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-2 as Logan Stankoven recorded a hat trick.

They will resume their series on Saturday in Kamloops.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2022.