YOUNG STARS: Oilers Rookies 3, Jets Rookies 2

PENTICTON, BC - Forward James Hamblin notched the deciding goal inside the final three minutes for the Oilers Rookies in a 3-2 victory over the Jets Rookies in Friday night's opening contest of the 2022 Young Stars Classic.
Darien Kielb and Michael Kesselring each found the back of the net in the first and second periods respectively, with the Oilers Rookies dictating play in the final frame and getting rewarded for it when Xavier Bourgault helped force a turnover in the Jets Rookies' zone that led to Dylan Holloway setting up Hamblin's late go-ahead tally with 2:38 left in regulation.
"I thought we got off to a good start and kind of flattened out there a little bit in the second, but came through towards the end," Holloway said. "We just have to keep it going for tomorrow."
Goaltender Ryan Fanti backstopped the Oilers Rookies in the crease with 21 saves on 23 shots, while Bourgault, Holloway and Carter Savoie each recorded assists in the victory.
The Oilers Rookies are back in action on Saturday night at 8:30pm MT at the South Okanagan Events Centre in a Battle of Alberta matchup with the Flames Rookies.

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FIRST BLOOD

Streaming up the ice on a partial 3-on-2, Jets forward Wyatt Bongiovanni connected a pass onto the tape of a streaking Brad Lambert on the right side just as Winnipeg crossed Edmonton's blueline.
Lambert had the speed to beat Hamblin wide and go forehand-to-backhand on Fanti despite back pressure from defenceman Noah Dorey, sneaking the opening goal under the right arm of the the recent college free-agent signing from the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs just over seven-and-a-half minutes into the first period.
"I thought in the first period, there was a tough one there where we were controlling most of the play and then there was an attack on a forward back playing D," Coach Colin Chaulk said. "It snuck by him."

SET UP BY SAVOIE

Not long after going behind, the Oilers were given the opportunity to put their focus on special teams from the first two practices in Penticton to the test when Bourgault forced former Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman and 2021 Rookie Camp invite Simon Kubicek into a hooking penalty just past the 10-minute mark.
Savoie, Edmonton's fourth-round pick in 2020 and former NCAA champion with the University of Denver Pioneers, put a cross-ice feed onto the tape of Kielb to quickly one-time past Jets goaltender Arvid Holm three seconds after the powerplay expired.
The St. Albert, AB product was locked into a set-up role to great effect on Friday night with some tidy passes beyond his primary assist on Kielb's tying marker.

SPOILS SHARED IN THE SECOND

The second period was a similar story to the opening frame as both the Oilers Rookies and Jets Rookies entered the second intermission tied.
Michael Kesselring had Edmonton ahead halfway through the middle frame, getting some some good fortune but creating his own luck nonetheless with a marauding rush up ice that ended with his cross-ice pass going off a Jets defender's stick and into the top corner over Winnipeg goalie Arvid Holm for the 2-1 lead.
"I think on that goal there, it was a little bit by design from the beginning. We want to see pucks at least end at the net," Chaulk said. "Maybe there's a turnback and they come back and protect the middle and that chance never happens. Was there some luck involved? Absolutely. But it was being a shotstarter with that mentality. You're rewarded sometimes when you're lucky and good, so from that perspective it was excellent."
But the Jets went to the man advantage a minute later and turned a scramble around the Edmonton net into the tying goal when Greg Meireles put the bow on a cross-slot feed with a one-timer past Fanti into the back of the net. The Oilers held a 10-8 shot advantage in the second period and 19-13 lead through 40 minutes.

TURNING POINT

The Oilers Rookies got the bounce they needed .to make the decisive moment at the tail end of a third period where Coach Chaulk felt his players had their foot firmly on the gas pedal.
"We kind of exchanged lucky goals so to speak (in the second period)," he said. "Then in the third period, I thought our players answered the bell pretty hard."
Bourgault forced a turnover low, leading to Holloway sliding a pass into the danger zone of the slot where Hamblin, who wore the 'C' for the Oilers Rookies, was able to clean up the play and lift Edmonton into a late lead.

"We had some good chemistry going right off the bat," Holloway said of his line with Bourgault and Hamblin. "I thought we were due for a few more goals, but they'll come. It was good we got the one at the end and got the win."
That lead would hold through a final minute-and-a-half of penalties and a pulled goalie at Winnipeg's end, with Fanti making the critical stops and doing his part to stamp out pressure from the Jets with their net empty.
"I felt he made a nice play on the down-and-in on the powerplay late in the game, and I thought he made a really great play clearing the puck on the penalty kill there not allowing any momentum. The message to him was he made the saves at the right time and we were able to get the win."

PARTING WORDS

Coach Chaulk gives his thoughts on the game:
"I thought in the first period, we controlled the bulk of the play. I believe we out-chanced them, we were harder than them, and the second period they responded. I thought they controlled the bulk of the play in the second period. We kind of exchanged lucky goals so to speak, and then in the third period I thought our players answered the bell pretty hard. We were rewarded on a great forecheck by Bourgault and then a greasy blue-paint goal Oilers and Condors style."
Coach Chaulk on balancing expectation with forgiveness in the first game of Rookie Camp:
"We understand that guys haven't played much hockey. If we're going to make some mistakes and errors, we want it to be on the side of aggressiveness. We focused on a few areas that were points of emphasis here in the first game, and in those areas we did well which is a good sign. They're coachable, they want some information, and there were some things that we hadn't talked about that we didn't do so well. As the tournament goes on, we'll try to improve in a few areas and try to get better each game.

Holloway on his effort against Winnipeg and how his wrist felt after having a second surgery near the start of last season:
"I thought not bad. I feel like I could've had more jump as my legs were a bit tired tonight, but overall I felt pretty good. First game of the year, so we got that one out of the way and just need to be ready for tomorrow."
"It feels good. I didn't even feel the wrist out there, so it's good for the confidence moving forward. It was the first game in a while where I didn't have it taped up, but it felt really good and I'm not even thinking about it anymore."
Kesselring gives his thoughts on the Oilers Rookies' victory:
"These games, they're always a little jittery at the start, so I thought we came in with some good effort and played hard. The ice wasn't great, so it was important to get the win tonight. Obviously there's a few things you can clean up and improve on, but I thought the boys played great in the first game."

Kesselring on his game maturing in his second Oilers Rookie Camp:
"I think especially with it being my second Camp, just establishing myself physically and then anywhere I can chip in offensively always helps out. I feel like last year was a good experience at Camp being able to see all the guys. This year, I feel like I'm a lot more mature physically and ready to make more of an impact."
Photo Credit: Marissa Baecker / Shoot the Breeze