The Day After -4.0: Dylan Holloway shines in Edmonton Oilers 2-1 pre-season win over Calgary Flames
By Zach Laing
9 months agoFour down, four to go.
The Edmonton Oilers regular season inches ever so closer with last night’s 2-1 overtime victory against the Calgary Flames.
In a quick trip down the QE2 for the first dance of the NHL season between the two rivals, the Oilers’ B-Team got down early to the Flames’ A-Team, but that didn’t mean they were out of the game. In what was very clearly a pre-season game, the Oilers kept themselves in the game limiting high danger-chances and minimizing what they could.
While Calgary controlled the pace of play early, Edmonton didn’t roll over. Their own shot totals climbed from four in the first, to eight in the second, and 15 in the third — an imperative frame wherein the Oilers paced the Flames in shots by four while getting controlling the lion’s share of scoring chances. Trailing by just one goal all night, it was Dylan Holloway who scored with 1:40 left in the third frame to tie the game up at one, and send it to overtime.
There it was the Condors Connection of Seth Griffith and Brad Malone as the former fed the latter for a game-winner halfway through the extra frame.
THE DAY AFTER IS PRESENTED BY BETWAY
But back to Holloway, the star of tonight’s show. The aforementioned buzzsaw opened the game with a big hit on Flames rearguard Noah Hanifin, and was active and engaged in the play all night long. He had the Oilers’ best scoring chance in the first frame and was around the action all night long, even failing to convert on a difficult feed in front of Calgary’s crease.
With the game on the line late in the game, he found a soft spot in the offensive zone unloading an awkward shot that found its way home. They don’t ask how, just how many. He’s showing this pre-season that he’s hungry to not just make the big club this year, but stick throughout it.
In net, Jack Campbell turned aside 34 of the 35 shots against in what was a solid performance for the much-maligned netminder. He looked sharp in the crease — as sharp as one can be in their first pre-season game, that is — and was tested early on in the game. That seemed to help dial him into the action last night and allowed the Oilers’ game to settle down in front of him, too.
Notes…
- Warren Foegele had a solid game last night on the top line alongside Lane Pederson and Derek Ryan, a potential trio when the season rolls around. They were the Oilers’ best line getting multiple looks, including a Foegele breakaway chance where he couldn’t capitalize enough.
- During the broadcast, Bob Stauffer mentioned last night could be the last pre-season game for Xavier Bourgault, which makes, but also for Raphael Lavoie, which comes as a bit of a surprise. The Oilers can’t jump the gun here when it comes to him as a player this pre-season.
- Lavoie is one of 16 forwards to play two games in the pre-season ranking near the bottom of the ranks when it comes to 5×5 shot attempt and expected goal shares. He’s 50-50 in scoring chances, and is tied for the lead in 5×5 shots with six, through his per-hour rate of 14.66 is 2.67 higher than the second-ranked Oiler.
- His most common 5×5 linemates: Brad Malone, Dylan Holloway and Adam Erne. Let’s get him some better talent to play beside before we jump to conclusions.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.
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