GAME STORY: Oilers 4, Flames 3

EDMONTON, AB - The Oilers are off to Europe on a winning note.
Goaltender Cam Talbot backstopped the Oilers with 39 saves on 42 shots and right-wing Kailer Yamamoto added two goals as the Oilers defeated the Calgary Flames 4-3 in their final North American tune-up.
The Oilers overcame a two-to-one shot differential and a two-goal deficit against the Flames in the first period to improve to 6-1-0 this pre-season.

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The Oilers travel to Germany to face the Cologne Sharks on Wednesday, Oct. 3. Watch the game live on Sportsnet at 8:00 AM MDT.
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"He's been good all camp," Oilers captain McDavid said of Yamamoto. "He's found ways to score, goes to the net and battles hard even though he's a smaller guy, so credit to him for his intensity and grit. He's been good for us."
The Oilers power play and penalty kill earned passing grades from McLellan despite being a work in progress this early in pre-season. The power play was effective at a rate of 2-for-3, with the penalty kill allowing one goal on seven Flames opportunities.
"I think [special teams] did a good job, but it's getting too much work," McLellan said. "But practices have been attentive and crisp, players are trying to do the right things, the goaltending feels better, and the special teams are work in progress.
"I think we'll see a rise in emotional games moving forward. We'll take our game up, and others will, and we'll have to maintain that to keep the momentum rolling."
Despite defenceman Adam Larsson leaving the game and failing to return in the first period, McLellan said the Swede was shut down for precautionary reasons and should be available when the Oilers open their NHL campaign in Gothenburg, Sweden against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 6.
"His back tightened up in the first period and we shut him down," McLellan added. "No need with a long flight to Europe, and he should be good to go opening day."

McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins nearly combined for the first goal on a 2-on-1 less than three minutes into the game if not for a sharp save by Flames goaltender Mike Smith.
However, the first Oilers power play of the day would prove bountiful. After Calgary right wing Anthony Peluso was nailed for a tripping penalty, Caggiula and McDavid exchanged the puck in the circle before finding Jujhar Khaira alone at the back post. The forward, playing centre alongside Pontus Aberg and Caggiula on the third line, placed his shot perfectly over the right shoulder of Smith for the 1-0 lead.
A partial 3-on-1 for the Flames presented the visitors an opportunity to equalize, but a great defensive stick from rookie defenceman Evan Bouchard broke up the cross-ice pass.
Calgary would level the score on the power play through Johnny Gaudreau after the centre put away the rebound past Talbot off the shot from Elias Lindholm.
Miscommunication by the Oilers on the line change then handed the Flames the opportunity they needed to take the lead when Mark Jankowski took advantage by finding Sam Bennett, whose shot from the slot found a piece of Matt Benning's stick before finding its way into the net past Talbot.
Soon the deficit was two for the Oilers when Mark Giordano's 90-foot stretch pass led to Lindholm quickly snapping a wrist shot past Talbot just under two minutes from the intermission to make it 3-1.
Despite scoring the opening goal, the Oilers were outbattled and outshot by the Flames 19-5 in the opening 20 minutes.

Oilers Head Coach Todd McLellan noted back on Sept. 20 against Winnipeg that Oilers hadn't had the opportunity to practice defending the 5-on-3, but the penalty killers showed their resilience at the start of the second frame on two back-to-back opportunities for the Flames.
McDavid made it a one-goal game on the power play 7:21 into the second, converting Leon Draisaitl's chip feed off the goalmouth scramble in front of Smith.
The Oilers were gifted an equalizer five minutes from the intermission when Yamamoto's pass intended for the streaking Jakub Jerabek deflected off the stick of Matthew Tkachuk and into the net.
Talbot was exceptional through two periods with the Oilers trailing 32-13 in shots despite the 3-3 scoreline.
Yamamoto completed the comeback 3:37 into the third by controlling Caggiula's cross-ice feed with his skate before tapping home his second goal of the day and sixth of the pre-season. Bouchard picked up a helper to keep the rookie's point-per-game streak alive with four points (1G, 3A) in four contests.

"I feel good, but still have a lot to prove," Yamamoto said. "As of right now I feel good, but there's still a lot left to play."
The 19-year-old right-shot has maintained his positive play with a number of linemates, competing tonight alongside Milan Lucic and Leon Draisaitl.
"I think it's helped being able to adapt to new players," he added. "You get a fresh start and a fresh look, so it's good."
Flames forward Dillon Dube, who's been given an extended look this pre-season with the Flames, had his equalizing opportunity denied by Talbot's glove with eight minutes to play before the Oilers ran out time on a 4-3 victory.
The Oilers continue pre-season across the pond in Germany against the Cologne Sharks on Oct. 3. Watch the game live on Sportsnet beginning at 8:00 AM MDT.