YOUNG STARS: Oilers Rookies 5, Canucks Rookies 2

PENTICTON, BC - The Young Stars were out for the Edmonton Oilers this week in the Okanagan.
The Oilers Rookies made it a perfect 3-0 at the Young Stars Classic during Rookie Camp by defeating the host Canucks Rookies 5-2 on Monday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Forwards Dylan Holloway and Cole Dubinsky each scored highlight-reel goals, while Max Wanner's fortunate bounce off a point shot that found its way over Canucks netminder Arturs Silovs ended up going down as the game winner 6:26 into the third period.
"I think there was a moment there in the second where they were giving it to us pretty good," Coach Colin Chaulk said. "The ice was tilted and I think they had 16 shots on us in the second period. I felt like our guys really responded well in the third period and started doing the things we were doing for most of the weekend."
Goaltenders Ryan Fanti and Olivier Rodrigue split the 60 minutes, combining to make 31 saves on 33 shots.
"I think everyone was just eager to get here and play a few games," Fanti said. "It was cool to kind of see some work over the summer gel together and get a couple wins here before Main Camp."

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REID FOR THE LEAD

Edmonton's first-round pick at the 2022 NHL Draft Reid Schaefer got the scoring off and running with his first of the tournament 8:38 into the middle frame after goaltending kept the score square through nearly half the contest.
"Absolutely [it felt good] to get that first one out of the way," he said. "It was kind of a sign of relief."
Picking up Michael Kesselring's cross-ice pass at the Vancouver blueline, the Spruce Grove, AB product took advantage of the space being given to him by the backwards-skating Canucks defenceman and wired a powerful wrist shot far side before Silovs could even react in the Canucks crease and drop to the butterfly in time to give himself a chance.
The 18-year-old showcased all weekend his ability to use his large 6-foot-3, 214-pound frame to create separation in the corners and absorb pressure while being able to chip in on special teams and offence.
"I think he showed some really good patience and Reid took a moment to step inside and make a fantastic shot that went into the back of the net, so I think there were pieces there and there was some patience there in allowing the play to develop," Chaulk said.
"What Oilers fans can look forward to is a big body, a power forward and a little bit of a dying breed in today's game. I think those are exciting pieces that are important pieces to the puzzle that put you over the top."

SHORT-HANDED HOLLOWAY

Is this guy good or what?
Jake Chiasson was in the box for hooking inside the final seven minutes of the second period, but that didn't stop Holloway from adding a beauty of a short-handed goal to his resume here at the Young Stars Classic. The 2020 first-rounder shot up the ice alongside James Hamblin and drove wide on a Canucks defender, cradling the puck on his backhand before using his strength to cut inside and tuck a sublime finish five-hole on Silovs.
"The puck went up in the air in our zone and it kind of popped right to me," Holloway said. "Then I was skating on the wall and kind of had a 2-on-2 with Hammer (Hamblin), who was skating to the net. I wanted to cut to the middle and I was able to slip it under the guy's stick and drive far post."

The Calgary, AB product celebrated with a pump-up-the-crowd motion, but the host partisan crowd here in Penticton certainly wasn't having it.
"It was really good just to get in game shape," he added on Rookie Camp. "Obviously coming off those injuries and after a full summer, it takes a bit to get into game shape but I'm happy to get the three games out of the way and I'm just happy to get the wins."

SAVE OF THE GAME

Off-season NCAA signing Ryan Fanti got the start between the pipes for the Oilers Rookies and came up big not once, not twice, but thrice in the opening 10 minutes.
The 22-year-old Thunder Bay, ON product made a point-blank stop off his own rebound before being called upon soon after to deny Cole Shepard on a partial break off a turnover in Edmonton's zone. Damila Klimovich found himself on a breakaway three minutes later and elected to shoot glove side, but he answered the bell with a quick reaction stop.
"I was happy with the way it turned out tonight," Fanti said. "I was able to get my eyes on it a little bit early and they had a few chances, which kind of gets you dialed in when you make a few big saves early on. I like how I progressed throughout the weekend and I'm just excited to keep it going here heading into Main Camp."

GAME WANNER

There were some pretty goals scored by the Oilers Rookies, and then there were some fortunate ones.
Defenceman Max Wanner let go a point shot that struck a Canucks body in front and magically found its way over Silovs, who couldn't even see the puck on its trajectory as it found its way in to give the Oilers Rookies a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The Canucks were pressing with the majority of chances in the second and the opening minutes of the third, tying it up 2-2 through Linus Karlsson's second of the game just past the three-minute mark of the final frame, so it was a welcomed stroke of luck for the Oilers Rookies.

DUBINSKY DOUBLES THE LEAD

Regina Pats forward and Rookie Camp invite Cole Dubinsky added to the tally of terrific goals at 8:22 of the third period when we walked in, made a forehand-to-backhand move around a Canucks defender, and nestled a pretty backhand into the top corner to double Edmonton's late lead.
Xavier Bourgault would add an unassisted empty-netter in the final minutes to secure the Oilers Rookies the perfect weekend in Penticton.
"Everybody had moments that contributed to being able to be 3-0, so I thought as a whole we were hard, got some big saves at the right time, our special teams I thought were excellent," Chaulk said. "When you have all those things together, it's a pretty good recipe to be 3-0."

PARTING WORDS

Coach Chaulk on the standout performances from the Oilers Rookies top line this weekend:
"I think our top line, they played really well all weekend. I think we saw some moments tonight where Holloway, Hamblin and Bourgault maybe would've liked to make a few different decisions that maybe would've been more simple, but at the same time, they were excellent all weekend. I thought those three were fantastic."
Coach Chaulk on Fanti's performance on Monday against Vancouver:
"There where it was a wide shot and a tough rebound that we didn't track back well through the middle. After that, he settled down and made some big saves. We had it after the first period as 3-3 in Grade-A chances each, and we felt each team was on the brink of opening things up. He made some great saves. He turned away all 16 shots and put us in a position to win the game. That's what we needed him to do and I thought he was fantastic tonight."

Schaefer on his goal this week in Penticton:
"Just kind of outcompete everyone I go up against. I'm a bigger guy, so I want to win my battles. I want to be hard on the forecheck, but I also want to contribute offensively. It was good to get that goal tonight and it felt good."
Photo Credit: Marissa Baecker / Shoot The Breeze