Jets Rookies 2, Oilers Rookies 0
They call of the players in the Penticton Young Stars Classic “rookies”, but some of them are rookie-er than others. Case in point, the Edmonton Oilers, whose three lettered players — Jayden Grubbe, Matvey Petrov and Max Wanner — are all 21 years old with a single season of (minor) pro experience. Just two skaters on the squad older than that in Ethan de Jong and Carl Berglund, and both NCAA grads spent 75% of 2023-24 in the ECHL. At the other end of the spectrum, 10 teenagers on the squad, 8 of them with 2006 birthdays.
On the Winnipeg Jets side of the ice, a solid percentage of 22-25 year olds. Moreover, a healthy roster that allowed them to change out 5 players from their last game. The Oilers had defender Beau Akey and forward Brady Stonehouse listed among their 22 eligible skaters, but neither dressed in any game, leaving just 2 extra skaters. The lack of extra troops meant that 14 Oilers skaters played 3 games in 66 hours.
Give them credit, the overmatched crew put in a decent effort, but was again unable to put the biscuit in the basket. Just 1 goal in the entire event, in regulation losses to Vancouver (2-0), Calgary (3-1 with an empty netter) and today Winnipeg (again, 2-0). Those players who might be expected to carry the offensive torch — Matt Savoie, Matvey Petrov, James Stefan — were firing blanks when they were firing at all, and with a lone exception the whole team followed suit.
A few words on each player who participated today, be they in the system or camp invites.
Forwards
C Carl Berglund — Might as well lead off with that exception, who lit the lamp early in Saturday’s contest vs. Calgary. Alas, he didn’t even last that long in this one, as he was absolutely crushed by an open-ice hit by Mark Liwiski in the early going, left the ice and did not return. His absence for the last 55 minutes shortened the bench and messed up the line rotations at times.
RW Matt Savoie — Had a slow start to the game and never really got it going. Fired a decent shot on net at the first period buzzer. Couldn’t quite jam home Edmonton’s single best chance from inside the blue paint with a defender draped all over him and Milic diving to swat it away. Symbolic of a game in which the puck and his stick didn’t seem to be on speaking terms.
C Sam O’Reilly — I learned during the broadcast that in the last few years he converted from defence to wing and later to centre, which might explain why he looks pretty comfortable in all areas of the ice. Especially so when low in the defensive slot in this one. Did a nice job of sticking to his man right to the goal mouth and disrupting what might have been a good chance. Got beat at the blueline and took a reactionary hooking penalty. Made a fine play to bat down an airborne puck inside his own blue paint and swat it to safety. Excellent stick lift at the edge of the goal crease neutralized a dangerous chance. Some decent cycling in the o-zone but nothing to show for it.
W Connor Clattenburg — Physical winger met his match early when he got drilled in the corner by Liwiski, a 23-year-old who had 310 (!) PiM in the ECHL last year and another 26 in 7 AHL games. Later was heavily boarded by 25-year-old Dylan Anhorn, survived the crash, got up mad and proceeded to fill in his opponent with some solid punches. Somehow only coincidental minors were called after the bare-knuckled set-to. Made a good play to win the puck with an aggressive forecheck and feed it to a mate in the low slot, the type of sequence that will need to become a trademark if he is to make it in the pros.
