Showing posts with label YoungStars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YoungStars. Show all posts

Thursday, September 5, 2013

A Blunder of a Game - Oilers lose to Flames

We all know the current YoungStars team doesn't have the big names that make you pay attention like years past, but this years squad boasts a rock solid defense corp. On defense the Oilers have Darnell Nurse, Oscar Klefbom, Martin Gernat, David Musil, Brandon Davidson, Joey Leach, Martin Marincin and Ben Betker.

That's a pretty decent group of young men. Big and strong with good puck movement. You would think they can shut down any one of these opposing teams in this tournament.

Well... that's not the case. Today's game versus the Calgary Flames, the Oilers were out worked and out scored and lost a 5-2 game. The defense looked terrible. Even brutal at times. I had high hopes for the Nurse/Klefbom pairing, and for the most part, they disappointed.

Klefbom had big words to say today about making the Oilers and how he was going to show everyone in this game that he belongs in the NHL. Maybe next game Oscar?

Maybe Darnell Nurse was also too nervous, but his boarding penalty really got the Flames offense rolling. He needs to play big, yet he needs to know how to not cross the line. Much like Klefbom, I'll expect Nurse to play much better next game.

Like I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, the Oilers forwards aren't the high skill players we are used to. They are however big and tough and can play.

Today's forward lines looked like this.

Marco Roy - Andrew Miller - Kale Kessy

Cam Abney - Travis Ewanyk - Jackson Houck

Brandon Baddock - Chase Schaber - Ty Bilcke

Jujhar Khaira - Greg Chase - Austin Fyten


Ty Bilcke dropped the gloves and that seemed to inspire the Oilers squad. I don't know much about him, but I liked his fighting skills.

The Oilers two goals came from Travis Ewanyk and Jujhar Khaira. Ewanyk's goal was a fluke/own goal and Khaira's goal was a tip on a Gernat shot from the point.

Not much stood out for me in today's game except for Marco Roy. Roy was billed as a two player, and he seems to fit that bill. Pretty good in his own zone and he had flashes of brilliance in the offensive zone. I want to see more.

I've have mixed reviews on starting goalie Tyler Bunz. He looked pretty good, but giving up that many goals, he had me worried. In my opinion, his development has been slow, and this year will be pivotal for him. This tournament should be his chance to shine from the start. We will see if he can.

Overall, the first period sucked for the Oilers. The second and third were better. First game jitters should be over. A better team will show up Saturday.

Well... I hope so.

-WRITTEN BY SMOKIN' RAY BURNT-


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