GAME RECAP: Canucks Rookies 5, Oilers Rookies 2

PENTICTON, B.C. – Showcase closed.

The Oilers Rookies concluded their Young Stars Classic tournament with a 5-2 defeat to the Canucks Rookies at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Monday, finishing their Okanagan campaign and 2023 Rookie Camp with a 1-1-1 record.

"I thought it was a really good effort over a long week for these young kids," Head Coach Colin Chaulk said. "We're really proud of how they played and what they've accomplished. We would've liked to get the win here, but that's why you play the games."

Edmonton responded from a two-goal deficit by scoring twice in 56 seconds during the second period, receiving quick strikes from centre Carl Berglund and winger Carter Savoie in rapid succession to set up an exciting final 20 minutes that would decide the weekend's overall winner.

But the more veteran roster for Canucks Rookies that includes the likes of Aatu Raty, Aiden McDonough and Akito Hirose, whom all played in NHL games last season, showed their experience with all three skaters finding the back of the net in the hosts' victory – handing the Oilers Rookies their first regulation defeat at the tournament over an 18-game stretch dating back to 2013.

Defenceman Beau Akey (2G, 1A), forward Matvey Petrov (1G, 2A) and Savoie (1G, 2A) tied for the Oilers Rookies tournament lead for points over the weekend and are among names like Xavier Bourgault, Tyler Tullio, Max Wanner and more who'll now turn their attention to the start of Oilers Main Camp this week at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

FIRST PERIOD

The Canucks Rookies came out strong over the first few shifts of the game and were fully deserving of their early lead.

Danila Klimovich finished off a crafty backward pass from Czech forward Karel Plasek, who dropped the puck at the back post on a disguised wrap-around attempt that eluded Oilers Rookie netminder Nathan Day and set up an easy tap-in for the Belarusian at 5:05 of the first period.

After conceding to the Calgary power play twice on Saturday – including the overtime winner in a 4-3 defeat – the Oilers Rookies were undone again by the man advantage in the first period when the Canucks Rookies extended their lead with their tournament-leading fifth goal on the man advantage.

Defenceman Akito Hirose dropped down from the blueline and sniped his tournament-leading fifth point (first goal) past Day with 7:18 left in the opening frame, doubling the hosts’ lead as their power play improved to 5-for-12 at the Young Stars Classic.

"I thought we were a little sleepy to start," Chaulk said. "We talked [in the intermission] about a few things that we liked. I thought our faceoffs were better. We didn't like them versus Calgary, so we were happy with that. We weren't really connected on our forecheck in the first period, but there was a good response in the second."

SECOND PERIOD

Channelling some of those positive talks during the intermission, the Oilers Rookies turned things around quickly.

Netminder Nathan Day made three good saves in the first half of the middle frame before the offence in front of him turned a two-goal deficit into a 2-2 tie in the span of 56 seconds. Xavier Bourgault sauced a perfect pass over to centre Carl Berglund on an odd-man rush almost seven-and-a-half minutes into the middle frame, with the former UMass-Lowell River Hawk lifting his second of the tournament over the glove of Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo.

Then, not even a minute later, forward Ethan De Jong showcased some of that renewed emphasis on the forecheck when his hard effort below the goal line resulted in the puck getting knocked loose to Carter Savoie, who buried the equalizing goal with a one-touch shot from the slot.

"I thought we had a good response in the second period, but not just because we tied the game. We had more time in the offensive zone," said Chaulk. "Our D were more aggressive. We did some good things from a five-on-five perspective to help get us back in the game."

With the scoreboard reading 2-2 through 40 minutes, the Oilers Rookies had a slim 16-14 shot advantage and the opportunity to finish the Young Stars Classic with the top overall record if they could squeak out a win.

THIRD PERIOD

Even at a rookie showcase tournament like this one, veterans can shine through.

The Canucks Rookies boasted three players on their roster this weekend whom all played in NHL games last season for the big club, and all three managed to find the back of the net on Monday – one of them eventually going down as the game-winning goal.

Defenceman Cole McWard put Vancouver back ahead at 7:39 of the third period with his second power-play goal of the tournament from the point that eluded all the traffic in its way to beat a screened Nathan Day in Edmonton's net.

Inside the contest's final five minutes, another player who accrued NHL experience last season for Vancouver in forward Aiden McDonaugh was able to wrist one from the left circle on the power play that beat Day clean under the right arm to restore their two-goal lead. "Those are tough ones, but they're always one that deflates you," Chaulk said. "So I think the fourth one, we'd probably like to have it back."

Aatu Raty, Vancouver's second-pick from 2021 who recorded an assist in three NHL games last season, completed the 5-2 scoreline with an empty-netter in the game's late stages.