Beau Akey, Jake Sloan lead listing of nice surprises as Oilers Rookies outclass Jets 3-1

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Oilers Rookies 3, Jets Rookies 1

A really good displaying by Edmonton Oilers Rookies to open this yr’s Penticton Younger Stars event with a deserved 3-1 win over their counterparts from the Winnipeg Jets group. The higher workforce is all three intervals, the Oilers have been unfortunate to path 1-0 after the primary, however tied it early within the second interval and progressively took command from there. Edmonton held a helpful benefit on the shot clock, holding Winnipeg to the mid-teens. Jets netminder Dominic DiVincentiis was by far the busier of the 2 netminders.

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A nice shock given the Jets have a dozen of their draft picks on their roster, together with three former first rounders. For the Oilers, simply eight and one respectively. Their roster options way more camp invitations — undrafted gamers, usually — however a few these stepped up with standout  video games.

Foremost amongst them Jake Sloan, a 6’3, 220 pound right-shot centre (!!) who was noticeable in lots of areas of the ice however none greater than the low slot, the place he scored the tying and successful targets in a decisive center body. The 19-year-old  scored 20-35-55, +7 in 58 video games with Tri Metropolis final yr, however handed by way of the draft for a second straight yr. Identical exhausting fact holds for an additional 19-year-old, Brady Stonehouse, who potted 37 targets for Ottawa 67’s final season. The stocky winger demonstrated there’s lots extra to his recreation than that.

Edmonton’s highest ranked picks on this recreation, winger Xavier Bourgault and d-man Beau Akey, each had standout video games as properly. That’s to be anticipated from Bourgault, who’s in his third such camp and has confirmed properly prior to now. Akey was a revelation, a minimum of inside this context.

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Extra feedback on every of those 4 gamers and all 15 of their teammates observe, principally within the type of contemporaneous notes from inside the recreation. Alphabetical order this time round.

Particular person participant feedback

RD Beau Akey — All around the ice, particularly within the o-zone. Has the bearing of a powerplay quarterback, which after all he was for an enormous chunk of final season. Confirmed off his highly-rated skating chops with a gorgeous curl to first seize a free puck contained in the Jets blueline, spiral away from two opponents, keep onside, then lay a misleading go again to Petrov on the close to boards. Took benefit of some open house within the slot to calmly stroll in, then hearth a great wrister from 20 toes that was rejected. His good low outdoors shot was tipped house by Sloan. Took a penalty when practically overpowered by extensive pace. Made a fantastic polay to regulate a go in his skates, then feed Berglund for what seemed to be a certain aim (it wasn’t). Absoilutely buried a one timer high cheddar to increase the result in 3-1. Nifty give and go along with De Jong barely missed. Broke the ankles of a Jets forechecker with a pleasant little spin that despatched his hapless opponent falling helplessly into the boards. His skating is a delight to look at, whilst Oil followers might be doing so from a distance for a bit.

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LD Xavier Bernard — wonderful fast wrist shot by way of site visitors and on aim. Unable to take care of both the centring go not its recipient on the 1-0. Laid on the lumber a few instances.

C Carl Berglund — Arrange Bourgault for a great shorthanded probability. Robbed by DiVincentiis on a effective give and go along with Akey.

RW Xavier Bourgault — Drew a penalty with a tough rush by way of the impartial zone. Nice one-touch go to Begrlund for a 5-alarm probability. Good outdoors shot compelled a stable save. Made a effective play inside his personal line to interrupt up the frenzy, win the race/battle for the puck, and deftly clear the zone off his backhand facet. Tipped a shot simply extensive. Stopped at shut vary on a short-handed 2-on-1. Nice play on the PK the place he beat each Jets defenders with a single dangle, however couldn’t clear up DiVincentiis. Regarded nice on the PK all evening. Caught operating round in his personal finish a bit early within the third. As traditional, I used to be impressed along with his fingers in tight areas.

RW Jake Chiasson — He and linemates Stonehouse and Linden engaged in an epic, shift-long scrum through which they and their blue-clad foils foiled each other utterly for what appeared a whole minute. Chiasson’s effort notably stood out on the sequence.  Handed off on an odd-man rush the place perhaps the shot was the higher choice. Made the same determination on a 3-on-1 late within the recreation, although a minimum of this go related (to Wright) for a good shot. Offensive decision-making stays on his “wants enchancment” listing, however he’s acquired some good attributes.

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G Nathan Day — Made a pair of emergency saves on his stomach throughout a aim mouth jam, however it will have been a lot less complicated to glove and maintain the unique outdoors shot. Crushed by an in depth vary change-up. Went publish to publish to make a effective cease, no rebound that point. Acquired stronger as the sport went alongside, however not severely examined for essentially the most half.

RW Ethan De Jong — Performed a key position on the 2-1 with some robust work on the partitions and slot. Superb with the puck in tight quarters.

RD Noah Ganske — Loooong stick featured in a nifty pokecheck to interrupt up a 3 on 2, then led the play the opposite approach. Used his monumental 6’7 body and commensurate attain benefit to win a couple of 50/50 pucks.

C Jayden Grubbe — Did some robust work alongside the boards to key an prolonged Oilers possession and a few outdoors photographs, the second off his personal stick. Took his man exhausting proper to the online entrance, didn’t observe him into the nook however stayed to protect the online entrance, going through in the precise path and every little thing! Was a one-man forecheck on one prolonged sequence in opposition to a minimum of three totally different puck handlers. Drew a  penalty with a hustle forrecheck to nullify a second interval Jets PP, then made a terrific defensive play on the next 4-on-4 to chop out a Royal Street go. His motor was operating all evening; his boots would possibly want some work. David Pelletier, do your factor.

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LD Jake Johnson — Took benefit of open ice to calmly stroll in and hearth a shot from between the hashmarks. Some sharp outlet passing all through, the perfect a magnificence diagonal feed that discovered Wright breaking in on the wing for a tough shot.

C Ture Linden — He centred an efficient grinding line with Stoneyhouse and Chiasson. He jogged my memory of Mattias Janmark in that I usually needed to squint to see him however the perfect place to look was in robust place on the precise facet of the puck.

LD Nate Misskey — Took a nasty hit that had the bench howling for a penalty. Dished out some punishment of his personal.

LW Matvei Petrov — Exhausting hustle on backcheck in opposition to his personal man, then engaged one other Jet on the continuation. Arrange Berglund and Bourgault for 5-alarm possibilities proper on the doorstep inside seconds on the identical PP. Made a effective defensive play in entrance of his personal web to intercept a go.  A superb outdoors shot practically handcuffed Devincentis. His passes have been crisp and perfectly-weighted. Earned a secondary help on the 3-1.

LW Carter Savoie — Seems to be very comfy, nearly silky, with the puck on his stick. Drew a penalty with a powerful forecheck. Rang iron with a fast shot proper off a scrambled faceoff. Slick centring go fooled everybody together with its supposed recipient. Drew a penalty on the PP to place Oilers up 5-on-3. Teed up Akey completely for the 3-1 on the tail finish of that benefit.

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Jake Sloan — Threw a hefty hit at his personal line that leveled his opponent in entrance of the Winnipeg bench, successful possession for the Oilers and beginning a sequence response on the Jets facet of issues. A dreadful line change ensued through which the downed man was proper within the site visitors lane of a number of different Jets coming and going to/from the bench, with seemingly no person changing the fallen participant himself. (Or as the color man adeptly put it: “they solely had 4 skaters on the ice as that play transgressed.”) Shortly took benefit of the extensive open areas that adopted in Winnipeg territory to get to the low slot and tip house Akey’s shot for the 1-1. Struck once more about ten minutes later, first performing some good work alongside the boards, then heading to the online entrance the place he discovered a free puck and rapped it house. Made a pleasant play on the penalty kill to steal the disc at his personal line, then take it up ice to kill a while. A really robust displaying.

Brady Stonehouse — Constructed like a hearth hydrant (5’10, 192) he performs an influence ahead recreation, sturdy alongside the partitions and in puck battles. Created one semi-breakaway with pace and opportunism however his wrist shot grazed the publish. Picked off a stray go and fed Chiasson for a one-time shot. Made a terrific block of a harmful shot on the tail finish of a Jets PP. Drew a penalty with continuous grit and grind alongside the fence. Fed Tullio twice in a row for respectable seems, as soon as a head man go, the opposite a beautiful cross seam. Plenty of breadth to his recreation.

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Ty Tullio — Took a crosschecking penalty a really good distance from his personal web. Got here out of the field to make two robust performs alongside the boards to win or keep possession. On his subsequent shift, made a superb wall go to allow the zone exit after a pair of icing calls left his line puffing somewhat.

Max Wanner — A giant presence in all three zones, particularly the defensive. Good positional play, easy puck motion, is aware of the way to use his accomplice. Caught out on one shift in opposition to Winnipeg’s three first spherical picks proper after an EDM powerplay however his group survived the push. Took the initiative on an Edmonton dump and chase to pursue the play exhausting all the best way to heavy contact on the top boards behind the Winnipeg aim. Was crushed by extensive pace and a great centring go for the 1-0. Fired a great outdoors wrist shot by way of site visitors and on aim. Sturdy shift on the PK late within the second; some sturdy defending had already caught my eye earlier than Wanner made an obvious goal-saving shot block. Did not clear his zone simply as WPG was pulling their goalie, however made a fantastic play to steal the puck again, then draw a penalty that principally put it out of attain with a 2-goal lead and a pair of:11 to play.

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Cameron Wright — a great outdoors shot, a harmful deflection, and a one-time knuckleball earlier than the primary Zamboni. Did some robust work alongside the boards within the build-up to the 2-1. Fashioned a surprisingly efficient line with De Jong and Sloan.

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