It's always fun to win, and it's especially fun to win against the Calgary Flames, even if it is just a rookie tournament. Calgary's results through two games (0-2 -6) aren't very impressive, and going by how the two teams played against their one common opponent - the Oilers beat the Canucks 7-2, while the Flames lost 4-3 - we can expect the Oilers to win by a ratio of about 4.7 to 1. Let's round that off and call it 9-2. I'd be happy with that!
Edmonton Oilers @ Calgary Flames
South Okanagan Event Center, Penticton, 8:30 p.m. MDT
Television: edmontonoilers.com
More analysis after the jump...
Expected Lineup:
Edmonton Oilers:
Cornet (51) - Lander (57) - Rieder (61)
Hamilton (70) - Pitlick (68) - Tyrvainen (75)
Ferguson (79) - Schaber (76) - Rajala (92)
Czerwonka (71) - Smith (59) - Abney (73)
Davidson (88) - Musil (87)
Vannieuwenhuizen (90) - Blain (82)
Marincin (80) - Schmidt (85)
Brown (50)
Notes from Camp:
- Tyler Pitlick steps in to play center for the second game in a row, but this line will have a very different character than the one he played on yesterday. Hamilton, Pitlick, and Tyrvainen aren't the biggest guys on the club, but each one skates well and plays a physical style. They should be fun to watch.
- Adam Brown will be between the pipes tonight looking to earn an entry-level contract from somebody. At just 5'10'', Brown doesn't have the size that most teams are looking for in goaltending propsects, but he has been the starting goaltender for the Kelowna Rockets in each of the last two seasons. Last season, his .916 save percentage was good enough for third in the WHL, behind Red Deer's Darcy Kuemper and last night's hero, Tyler Bunz.
- One of the fun things about this rookie camp is seeing which of the lesser prospects get the best linemates. So far, Tobias Rieder has played with Tyler Pitlick, Anton Lander, Philippe Cornet, and Brett Feguson. Toni Rajala has played with Ferguson, Chase Schaber, Drew Czerwonka, and Colin Smith. I know which set I'd rather have.
- Well, Wes Vannieuwenhuizen did in fact drop the mitts last game, so I'll just give myself a little pat on the back for that prediction. My new favourite, Brett Ferguson, got in the act as well. Positive impression made. Both of them are back in the lineup today, but they'll be joined by Tyler Schmidt (who led his team in fighting majors and fought in the first game) and Cameron Abney (fought in the first game and has fighting as his one plus skill), so I'll set the over/under on fights tonight at 3.
- The list of walking wounded continues to grow and grow as Ryan Martindale left yesterday's game with a hip flexor injury. Martindale joins Milan Kytnar, Colten Teubert, and Travis Ewanyk in the (metaphorical) infirmary. The literal infirmary is empty since all four are using the "walk it off" method. It's the Oiler way.