GAME RECAP: Oilers 7, Canucks 2

EDMONTON, AB - When you're trying to make the team, a hat trick isn't a bad way to do it.
Oilers rookie Dylan Holloway lit the lamp three times, and added an assist in the Oilers 7-2 victory over the Canucks on Monday night. Lost in the 'Hollywood' excitement, Zach Hyman had a strong performance manning the right wing with Holloway and Leon Draisaitl as the forward added a goal and two assists and was a consistent threat throughout the game.
The Canucks saw goals from Nils Hoglander and Connor Garland, while the goaltending tandem of Arturs Silvos and Collin Delia stopped 29 of 36 Oilers shots on the evening, but the young Vancouver squad looked outmatched by an Oilers lineup playing a number of their top players.
Edmonton now travels to Abbotsford, BC ahead of a Wednesday night contest against the Canucks at the Abbotsford Entertainment Centre, before finishing up their preseason action at home on Friday night versus the Seattle Kraken.

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FIRST BLOOD

Dylan Holloway got his opportunity to audition in the Oilers top-six tonight, and safet to say he did not disappoint.
Just over 10 minutes into the first period, the line of Holloway, Draisaitl, and Hyman heaped the pressure on Canucks goaltender Arturs Silvos, with the puck eventually making it's way to Darnell Nurse at the blueline. The Oilers defenseman fired a low shot which the buzzing Holloway tipped into the upper corner of the Canucks net for the game's first goal.
The Oilers 2020 first-round pick has continued to impress this preseason, with the opening tally against the Canucks being his second goal and third point in the four games he's dressed. Holloway previously lit the lamp against the Winnipeg Jets in the Oilers 4-0 preseason opening win.

HOLLO-BACK GOAL

Holloway wouldn't be done making his mark on the evening.
Just 26 seconds after the Oilers made in 2-1, the rookie would be sent in on a 2-on-1, which he elected to shoot on. Holloway ripped the shot from a sharp angle behind the back of Connor Delia for his second of the night.

Before time expired, the Oilers would net another one on the Canucks with Holloway once again being involved in the play. The Calgary, AB native would start the outlet play before acting as a decoy on Hyman's cross crease pass to Tyson Barrie. The veteran defenceman would easily tuck the feed behind Delia to extend the Oilers lead to 4-2.
Holloway finished off the hat trick night late in the third period. The winger wound his way behind the Canucks net and fired a low shot through Delia's five-hole to send the caps to the ice.
"It felt really good, it was kind of one of those nights where everything went right," Holloway said about his hat trick. "I owe a lot to my linemates, two pretty good players in Leon and Hyms."

SOUP OF THE DAY

For the first time this preseason, Jack "Soup" Campbell would play the full 60-minutes and the Oilers defacto number-one did not disappoint. Campbell turned aside 28 of 30 shots on the evening, with the only goals against coming on a cross crease feed he had little chance on and a deflection off the stick of Cody ceci which found its way between his wickets. Campbell was quick to give Ceci a tap on the back after the inadvertant gaffe, displaying why the goaltenders has a reputation of a consumate teammate.
Campbell's best stop of the night came midway through the third period. With the Oiler up by two and looking to put the game away, the Canucks were able to spring themselves on a 2-on-1. Conor Garland would quickly one-time the cross-crease feed, but Campbell stretched out and gloved the puck for the athletic stop.

The Oilers top free agent addition is looking to build off the 31-win season he has last year wearing Toronto Maple Leafs colours. Campbell sported a solid .913 save percentage and a 2.64 goals-against average, along with five shutouts in '21-22.

POWERPLAY PARADE

The Vancouver Canucks were able to answer back from the Oilers opening tally courtesy of a very busy powerplay.
With Evander Kane in the box for hooking, the Canucks special teams would find some space to operate, with Nils Hoglander receiving a Christian Wolanin backdoor pass which he swiftly deposited behind a helpless Jack Campbell for Vancouver's first goal of the game.
The goal came on the Canucks fifth powerplay on the evening, all which came in the first half of the game.
Edmonton was able to regain the lead with 8:10 remaining in the period on a powerplay of their own. After some quick movement on the mad advantage, Connor would find Zach Hyman's stick blade in front Silvos, which the winger quickly redirected into the back of the Canucks net.

FOE-GOALS

Warren Foegele put his best foot forward to locking down a more consistent role with the Oilers with a strong third period performance against the Canucks.

The 26-year-old forward buried the sixth and seventh goal of the night, for his first two tallies of the preseason. The offensive contrubutions were a bonus for a forward looking to make his mark on the penalty kill this year.
"As a penalty killer I see Warren as a good skater, a long body. He's willing to be in the shot lane," Woodcroft said. "I felt good when he was on the ice on the penalty kill. He's got a healthy opportunity on it for the first few games of the preseason and he'll get more opportunities on it as we finish up the preseason."

PARTING WORDS

Head Coach Jay Woodcroft on Dylan Holloway's hat trick performance:
"He had a heck of a game tonight. I thought that line with Draisaitl and Hyman d Dylan was the best line on the ice. They controlled the puck, they didn't give up a ton against.
Woodcroft on how he'll pick his lineup for the last two games:
"What we'll do as a staff is we're going to do our work on this game, digest it, and see what we have left and we'll sit and strategize as a group and try and find the right lineup for Wednesday night. When I say the right lineup, it's about answering some questions. As you said, we expect two pretty good lineups in the last two games of the preseason. You balance everything in terms of answering the questions you want answered, but you also have to get your team ready for next week."
Woodcroft on the play of Jack Campbell in his first full game with the Oilers:
"Jack will get another game for sure. I thought he was good. I didn't think we were the cleanest of teams in the first half of the game and he allowed us to settle in. He made big saves, the one in the third period was excellent. Unfortunately we scored one off our body and in the net, but he was very good and a big reason the score and the goals against was only two for the other team."

Woodcroft on the play of Warren Foegele tonight:
"He's feeling confident and that comes as a result of a lot of hard work and hard effort. He understands also, and I think this is important for everyone to understand, he understands the positions he's in. He's battling to make the team and he's battling for his place in the lineup and that's exactly what we want to see out of Warren Foegele and from the others that are in the same kind of position."
Woodcroft on his veteran group going up against a young Vancouver team:
"I'd like to give credit to Vancouver, they had kind of a pesky lineup and I thought they played hard. There's things that we can clean up as a team, but we found a way to win a game in the preseason on home ice. I thought there was some real positives in that game for the entire team and I thought there were areas we can work on. It is the preseason that is what our focal point will be on Wednesday's pregame skate."

Draisaitl on the importance of competition in the final pair of pre-season games:

"It's important. I think every player is a little different there. Obviously you want to go up against guys you'll see a lot in season, so it's always important to have one or two games where you've got a legit lineup."
Dylan Holloway on being able to skate on a line with Leon Draisatil and Zach Hyman:
"I saw that I was playing with Leo and Hyms so I was pretty excited and my adrenaline was going right from the start."
Holloway on how he feels his preseason is going:
"Feeling good, but the competition is going to pick up. It gets tighter out there, so I just have to play simple, play hard, kind of get pucks deep and take chances when I get them."
Holloway on his goals coming in to Oilers Training Camp:
"I just wanted to play well, I wanted to play my game. I knew I would have to do something to make the team. I'm just happy with the way things are going, but I have more games coming up."