Player reviews: Prospects, process both good in preseason opener, but Oilers get goalie’d by Jets

Jets 2, Oilers 1 (SO)

Good factor this sport didn’t depend within the standings, or there can be loads of frustration for followers of the Edmonton Oilers, who performed fairly effectively bought goalie’d by the Winnipeg Jets. It wasn’t the same old suspect Connor Hellebuyck both, however 29-year-old journeyman Collin Delia who was nothing wanting sensational in stopping 36 of 37 pictures plus 3 of three within the shootout to earn first star honours. Delia made a big variety of 5-alarm saves, stoning Ryan Nugent-Hopkins repeatedly and likewise leaving his linemates Zach Hyman and Evander Kane shaking their heads as effectively.

It was a goaltender’s duel, with Olivier Rodrigue additionally permitting simply 1 objective in 65 minutes, although with a significantly lesser workload (25 pictures). Barely stunning to see Rodrigue going the complete distance in Recreation 1; search for his backup Calvin Pickard to get the same alternative in Winnipeg tomorrow.

Removed from a boring affair, this contest was performed at a excessive tempo by each groups from begin to end, even in a sport that didn’t characteristic high-end stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for the Oil or Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey for the guests. Such is the character of preseason hockey, particularly early on, nevertheless it’s honest to say the followers didn’t get cheated.

Various Oilers hopefuls confirmed effectively together with Rodrigue, d-men Beau Akey and Philip Broberg, and forwards Dylan Holloway and Xavier Bourgault. Veteran newcomers Lane Pederson and Brandon Sutter helped their respective causes.

Participant notes

No participant grades for preseason, the place it’s not merely apples and oranges however a whole fruit basket on some nights. We do present commentary for every of the 19 Oilers who noticed motion, sorted by strains and pairings. Alas, after working all sport the field rating at NHL.com has gone darkish, leaving such stats as ice time, pictures and hits past attain.

Forwards

Evander Kane performed a strong sport, skating effectively and firing a number of pictures on internet. Took a (good) penalty to nullify a second-period powerplay, emerged from the field two minutes later to get a partial breakaway, pull up, then make a spinaround move to Sutter for a five-alarm likelihood. Robbed by Delia’s highlight-reel glove seize. Had a working battle with massive Brenden Dillion. Performed to his strengths — give or take a between-the-legs deke within the shootout which he practically pulled off — in what to those eyes was a really encouraging efficiency.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins seemed snug in his pure place of centre, each with and with out the puck. Earned the first help on Hyman’s powerplay objective. Had a trio of nice appears within the second however was repelled by a diving Dylan DeMelo block on the primary, then a pair of emergency stops by Delia on two completely different appears from the sting of the blue paint. Coulda legit scored a pure hat trick within the center body alone, got here away with nothing. Robbed but once more from the slot within the final minute of the third, and one remaining time within the shootout on a deke to the backhand facet that Delia gloved down.

Zach Hyman got here out grinding from the opening shift. Popped house the 1-1 objective on the powerplay from his workplace on the net-front, taking RNH’s deflected move on his blade proper in entrance of Delia’s pad, then stuffing it house. Some terrific work beneath stress to dig the puck out for RNH. Arrange Kane for one golden likelihood, then Nuge for one more in the identical, dominant shift. Almost cashed on a wraparound that created a second, much more harmful likelihood within the chaos that adopted. Rang iron after a splendid give and go along with Kane within the sixtieth minute.

Warren Foegele was his typical industrious self, sturdy on the forecheck and in puck help. Drew a penalty with some heavy work on the forecheck. Fired a tough wrist shot on objective from the excessive slot. Received one other in OT on a give-and-go with Bouchard.

Lane Pederson was the additional ahead on the PP with the primary line and Bouchard. Received a fantastic likelihood from shut vary on that unit off a fantastic RNH move however couldn’t money. Made a terrific move to Ryan for a one-timer from mid-slot. Final I seemed he had 5 pictures, 4 hits, and 83% on the faceoff dot in a powerful Edmonton debut.

Derek Ryan made a fantastic centring move to Foegele after stealing the puck within the nook, resulting in a heavy shot. Had a very good shot of his personal off a Pederson feed.

Dylan Holloway got here out flying with a speedy first shift, ending it with a booming hit on Nikita Chibrikov. Made a robust rush for an angled shot, adopted by some fantastic protection of the excessive slot to interrupt up a move. Regarded good on the penalty kill. On one terrific third interval shift he blocked an out of doors shot, broke up a move in his personal finish, then led the frenzy the opposite option to circle the online and feed Pederson within the excessive slot. Good cross-ice move to Nurse for a shot into site visitors. Concerned in a nifty three-way play with Janmark and Bouchard that almost determined issues in OT. Quick and bodily. Noticeable in a great way in all three zones. Named the sport’s third star.

Brandon Sutter did some good work in site visitors, the place his “veteran savvy” shone via, getting stick on puck to maintain a few performs alive.  Almost stuffed one house from his knees on the doorstep however was foiled by Delia. Good on the faceoff dot and the penalty kill.

Mattias Janmark made a very good calm play beneath stress within the d-zone to first take the puck to “the great ice”, then make an efficient move to allow the breakout. Nifty give and go along with Sutter on the zone entry, went exhausting to the objective mouth for the return move that didn’t fairly make it via. Made a terrific play to arrange Bouchard within the slot in OT. Had bounce in his step all sport, sturdy positional play, superb in puck help.

Drake Caggiula made a pleasant move to Bourgault for a harmful shot. His failure to help Bouchard within the excessive slot performed a task in a Jets 2-on-1 on the counter.

James Hamblin examined Delia with a very good shot from the excessive slot. Made a nifty brief move to Caggiula for an out of doors shot.  Wonderful shift on the PK to interrupt up a few passes and clear the zone. Robust on the faceoff dot, very fast stick.

Xavier Bourgault made a fantastic rush and move in within the impartial zone, then took Caggiula’s cross-seam move on the continuation for a very good shot from the slot. Materialized within the impartial zone at an necessary second to scrub up what may need turn out to be an odd-man rush. Terrific backcheck within the impartial zone late within the third  to strip the puck on the pink line and rapidly transfer it the opposite method. Received a shift late in time beyond regulation and practically made it depend. Good on the forecheck, appeared to be across the puck loads.

Defencemen

Darnell Nurse performed a strong, understated sport. Saved his skates beneath him and the play in entrance of him, closing off skating, passing and capturing lanes along with his size, attain, and mobility, with loads of small optimistic performs and no obvious errors. Patiently waited his likelihood, then made a terrific exhausting outlet move off the wall that triggered an odd-man likelihood.  In his personal finish he constantly moved the puck to Bouchard.

Evan Bouchard exploded an opponent’s keep on with a rocket not 30 seconds in. Made a nifty play on the blueline on the powerplay to maintain the puck in beneath stress and get it to RNH with house, resulting in the 1-1 objective seconds later.  Made one other nice move to #93 for an open internet shot that was in some way foiled by DeMelo. Bouch’d a bomb that despatched an opponent limping to the bench. Received a fantastic shot away in OT on a terrific three-way passing play with Holloway and Janmark, however was (anticipate it) stoned by Delia.

Philip Broberg made a pleasant defensive cease on Mason Appleton who tried to beat him with extensive pace which he thwarted with sturdy lateral skating, a protracted stick with disrupt the puck, after which a strong verify into the nook boards. Had an unsightly giveaway from the defensive nook that led to a tough one-timer that simply missed the goal. Magnificence delayed outlet move to RNH led to a Kane shot. Powered via a heavy forecheck alongside the top wall and got here out the opposite facet nonetheless with the puck for a straightforward outlet move. Shrugged off massive Nino Niderreiter to decisively get the higher of one other would-be forecheck. High-quality cross-ice move despatched Pederson in for a shot from the wing. A pair of good defensive stops in OT, one within the impartial zone, one other deep in his personal territory. Within the phrases of Jay Woodcroft, “he was good at separating his man from the puck and accelerating away with it” which is what I noticed as effectively. In a sport that featured a heady mixture of NHLers and wannabes, he seemed very a lot the previous.

Vincent Desharnais made a terrific cease towards two onrushing opponents on the defensive blueline, utilizing his lengthy attain to disrupt first one, then the opposite. Did a fantastic job to tie up Appleton within the nook, win the puck, management it whereas on one knee, then calmly discover Bourgault with a brief, protected move that bought the play going north. Robust and regular.

Ben Gleason bought crushed within the impartial zone by Dominic Toninato who scored on the following breakaway to open the scoring. In any other case seemed OK however didn’t distinguish himself.

Beau Akey had a few early appears, however was caught deep on the Toninato breakaway, leaving his associate remoted within the impartial zone with an sad ending. Threw a pleasant hit on Chibrikov. Received pushed off the puck and on to his rear finish by gargantuan Adam Lowry, a small style of the longer term for the agile younger rearguard. Made a delicate backhand feed from the facet boards to search out Bourgault with a sliver of house. Took an interference penalty spinning round a forechecker on the  dump-in, when maybe the higher selection would have been to make use of his plus wheels on the retrieval. Received a shift in time beyond regulation, made a very good defensive play and tried to make one thing occur within the good finish however couldn’t get his move via to Bourgault.

Goalies

Olivier Rodrigue made a pointy save on a close-range shot from a scramble. Crushed five-hole by Tominato’s breakaway deke. Got here again sturdy a bit later with a fantastic cease on a wide-open 2-on-1. Wonderful save going put up to put up to thwart a ricochet off the top boards, One other sturdy cease from shut vary seconds later. Received clobbered by Jeff Malott, drawing a goalie interfference penalty. Received his revenge when he flat out robbed Malott on a one-timer deep within the third. Earned second star honours.

Not too long ago, at The Cult of Hockey

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