Game Two Wrap Up…

Connor McDavid, Mitch Moroz, Alex Loiseau, Loik Leveille and Ethan Bear were healthy scratches tonight. As I said yesterday, the Oilers had planned McDavid would not play back-to-back. He is not banged up from the Virtanen hit, this was their plan. I’m actually curious if he plays Monday when all the Oilers top management types are back in Edmonton for their charity golf tournament.

The Oilers and Flames both won yesterday, and both sides want to remain undefeated and win the tourney.

Here are tonight’s lineups:

Slepyshev-Draisaitl-Chase
Winquist-Linaker-Roy
Rankin-Platzer-Sanford
Christoffer-Soy-Bukarts

Nurse-Laleggia
Betker-Davis
Waltz-Jones

Papirny

Van Brabant-Bennett-Poirier
Agostino-Karnaukhov-Smith
Mangiapane-Arnold-Carroll
Lomberg-Burke-Marcotte

Culkin-Fram
Kulak-Morrison
Kanzig-Andersson

McDonald
Schneider

Ninety seconds in Marco Roy has the first good chance from the
high slot, but McDonald makes the save with his mask.

Agostino has a great chance, but Papirny makes a nice glove
stop.

The first five minutes are not nearly as physical or intense
as last night.

On their second shift the Draisaitl line does a great job of
cycling the puck, but they never get a shot away. Draisaitl and Slepyshev have
had good chemistry so far in the tournament.

Winquist gets rocked along the boards by huge Hunter Smith.
Flames have a much tougher lineup with Smith and Kanzig.

Nurse steps up with a great open ice hit on Marcotte just
outside the Oilers blueline. After a slow first five minutes the intensity is
picking up. A few big hits seems to do that in this tournament.

Nurse with best chance of game for Edmonton, but he hits
McDonald square in the chest.

Off a faceoff in Oilers zone Fram can’t handle puck at
blueline, and Rankin gets a breakaway from the Oilers blueline. He races in,
goes to the backhand, but McDonald follows him across the crease and makes a
nice pad save.

Another sellout crowd in Pentiction, close to 5,000 fans.
Lots of Oilers and Flames jerseys in the crowd, but the crowd is pro Oilers.

Flames open up the scoring with 6:07 remaining as Smith buries a
nice pass from Karnaukhov. Papirny had no chance on a bang-bang play from
behind the net to the slot.

Flames make it 2-0 two minutes later as Mangiapane finishes
off a nice three passing play started by Arnold and Morrison.

Sam Bennett has a nice toe drag dangle with 39 seconds remaining, dishes to Poirier, but Papirny stones him. Flames have dominated the latter
half of the period.

Period ends with Flames outshooting Oilers 19-9 and leading
2-0.

They played Cotton Eyed Joe at intermission. Flames fans must have requested it. Terrible.

Draisiatl with a good early chance, but he fires it high and
wide.

Oilers go on their first PP, but it is negated 20 seconds
later as Nurse takes a roughing penalty.

Bukarts takes an iffy penalty 25 seconds later and Flames go
on 4-3 PP… They end up on 5-3 and waste no time and make it 3-1. Arnold from
Andersson. Arnold was wide open to the right of Papirny, and Papirny sprawled
over to make save, but Arnold just waited and beat him easily.

What a sweet backhand dish from Draisaitl at Flames blueline
to spring Chase on a partial breakaway, but McDonald with another solid save.

Sanford draws a penalty at 9:38 taking the puck wide to the
net and Kanzig has to hook him. Draisaitl, Chase, Slepyshev, Christoffer and
Nurse start PP. Have a hard time getting out of their zone for the first
minute. They finally set up. Laleggia, who came on for Nurse, fires a point
shot. Rebound goes to Chase and he hits the post.

Oilers continue to buzz after the PP. Their best possession
of the second period. Some great work by Platzer’s line leads to the puck
coming loss in the slot, Betker pinches in and has a great look, but he fires high
and wide.

Nurse back in box for tripping at 13:52. Platzer, Rankin,
Laleggia and Betker start on PK. Strong work in offensive zone by Platzer. He
has been the Oilers best forward. Winquist, Sanford come on as forwards and on
a whistle, Laleggia and Betker finally get off after a 1:40 shift. Linaker
comes on, wins faceoff to Davis, he pushes it up boards to Christoffer who
races down the left side and feeds Linaker in slow slot, but McDonald with
another solid save. Good PK.

At 16:47…Van Brabant
gets a whistled for a weak roughing penalty. He stopped in front of Papirny after long shot and
pushes Betker.

Platzer with a great rush at the end of the period and
almost ties it. He is having a very strong. Oilers out shoot Flames 11-5 in
period and shots are now 24-20 for Calgary and they lead 3-2.

DJ also played Who Let the Dogs Out.. I’m having Rexall
flashbacks…*Shivers**

 Flames take a delay of game penalty early in the third and
Oilers back on PP. Platzer, Ranford, Rankin, Roy and Laleggia start man
advantage. Minute into PP, Laleggia shot deflects and Flames move it up to Van
Brabant on a breakaway. Laleggia shows great wheels to get back, disrupt him
and he gets a weak shot off. Draisaitl line with Betker and Nurse end PP. After
PP ends, Slepyshev gets a slashing call after the whistle. Another weak call by
ref. He clearly is worried the game will get out of hand, even though it hasn’t.
He has been calling cheap penalties all night.

Rankin, Platzer, Davis and Jones start PK… Flames get one
point shot off, but not much else as Oilers change halfway through… Nurse,
Betker, Christoffer and Soy come on.  Christoffer
gets a shot off at end of PK. Solid PK, after an unproductive PP a few minutes
earlier.

On his next shift Christoffer draws a penalty as Marcotte
holds him up in Flames zone. Oilers back on PP 5:14 into third.

I’m hoping for a tie game so we can see some 3-on-3 OT.

Winquist enters Flames zone, stops inside blueline and
threads a cross-ice pass down low to Davis, but McDonald with another huge
save. He has been very good in goal for Calgary.

Oilers controlling play again as we reach midway point of
the third period.

With 8:59 remaining a scrum ensues in front of Papirny. All
ten skaters involved. Just as it seems to be quieting down, Andersson pushes
Nurse. He keeps going at him and finally Nurse drops gloves and absolutely
crushes him with five straight shots. Convincing win for Nurse in tilt.

Draisaitl gets a partial breakaway 41 seconds later, and
Lomberg races back and hits puck away cleanly, and then takes out Draisaitl. Ref awards Draisailt penalty shot, which
was correct, (they changed rule last year. Rule 57.3) and Draisaitl takes advantage…He skates in, waits and fires home
his second goal in as many games. 4-3 Oilers.

Oilers do a good job of not giving up any quality chances
after taking the lead.

Chase gets creates a chance as he steams down the wing, but
can’t beat McDonald, although I think he just lost control of puck more than
McDonald stopped him. After a slow first period, Chase has really picked up his
play in the final 40 minutes.

Flames pull their goalie with 1:30 remaining. Another scrum
ensues in Oilers zone and Smith tries to get after Nurse, but nothing comes of
it. Faceoff goes outside blueline so a break for the Oilers.

Flames pull their goalie again with 50 seconds remaining. They get a few shots, but Papirny makes the save. Rankin controls puck inside Oilers blueline and slides puck length of the ice into the empty net with five seconds remaining. Oilers win 6-3.

Oilers out shoot Calgary in the third 13-10 and shot totals are 34-33 in favour of Calgary. After a rough first period, the Oilers dominate the final 40 minutes and out score Calgary 5-1 in final two frames.

1. Kyle Platzer. He was solid all night and was all around the puck.
2. Leon Draisaitl. Two ridiculous passes and a nice penalty shot goal.
3. Joey Laleggia. Moved the puck very well and made smart decisions all night.

I also thought Papirny was very good between the pipes for the Oilers, especially in the first period. He kept game close and then offence took over.

Who did you like? What were your thoughts on the game.