(Red Deer, AB) Former division rivals Dillon Dube and Matthew Phillips connected for the only goal of the “Battle of Alberta” rookie showcase.
The two-on-one was masterfully completed when Phillips swatted home a pass from over the Calgary defender and beyond the goal line.
“It was awesome. We had a lot of chances tonight, and I think it was nice that we connected on that and obviously a great finish by him,” said Dube of his set up of Phillips for the overtime game-winner.
Only one minute and four seconds of three-on-three overtime were required as the Flames won their second game in a row over the Oilers in rookie showcase games held at the Westerner Park Centrium.
“I think just once the game went on it got organized more and it felt more like a hockey game, but I think we built period by period and took some extra time, but it was good to get the first win,” said Dube, who was wearing an ‘A’ for the Flames rookies.
It didn’t always look like the Flames would be successful in Red Deer, in front of about 5,200 pro-Edmonton fans.
There was action at both ends of the ice through the first period of play. Edmonton had the best chance of the period, but the Flames netminder, Artyom Zagidulin, made a great stop and slid the puck into the far corner. Neither team was able to break the tie after 20 minutes of play.
The second period saw the momentum head towards the Flames as they put the rubber towards Dylan Wells, then former WHL goaltender Stuart Skinner, as the Oilers made changes at the halfway mark.
Flames camp invitee Montana Onyebuchi tossed his gloves following a low bridge hit given to him by an Oilers forward, and both players were sent off for five minutes. It was the first of two fights on the night; the second came following a big hit on Cooper Marody at the Flames bench.
In the third period, the momentum returned to the Oilers, and the teams exchanged power plays. There was nothing doing for either side, and the game headed to overtime.
On the roster for the Edmonton Oilers were eight current and former WHL players, including: goaltender Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge/Swift Current), Ethan Cap (Edmonton Oil Kings), Liam Keeler (Edmonton Oil Kings), Brendan de Jong (Portland Winterhawks), Tyler Benson (Vancouver Giants), Cameron Hebig (Saskatoon/Regina), Jakob Stukel (Vancouver/Calgary), and Kailer Yamamoto (Spokane Chiefs).
Yamamoto did not suit up for the game.
On the roster for the Calgary Flames were the aforementioned Dillon Dube (Kelowna Rockets) and Matthew Phillips (Victoria Royals), as well as nine other current and former WHL players including: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips), Andrew Nielsen (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Montana Onyebuchi (Kamloops Blazers), Jackson van de Leest (Calgary Hitmen), Glenn Gawdin (Swift Current Broncos), David Kope (Edmonton Oilers), James Malm (Vancouver/Calgary), Luke Philp (Kootenay/Red Deer), and Milos Roman (Vancouver Giants).
