Winnipeg Jets rookies drop opener of Young Stars Classic

The Winnipeg Jets rookies surrendered two early goals in a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames top prospects to open the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, B.C.

Jets starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck made the first big save of the game just three minutes in, denying Brett Kulak on a partial breakaway.  But at the 5:20 mark Bryce Van Brabant, who was undrafted, beat a screened Hellebuyck to open the scoring for Calgary.

Just five minutes later the Flames extended their lead when Ryan Lomberg was allowed to skate out of the corner and he tucked it in shortside on Hellebuyck. Calgary took a 2-0 lead at the midway point of the first.

With just 15.0 seconds left in the opening period Brendan Lemieux, acquired in the blockbuster trade with the Buffalo Sabres, finished off a pretty pass from Jimmy Lodge behind Flames goalie Jon Gillies.  Ryan Olsen picked up the other assist and it was 2-1 through one period.  Calgary outshot Winnipeg 13-5 in the first.

Midway through the second Chase De Leo carried in on the 2 on 1 setting up Andrew Copp but Gillies stretched out his pad making the stop right on the goal line to preserve the Flames one goal lead.

With 8:55 to go in the second Hellebuyck was replaced by Eric Comrie.  Hellebuyck stopped 18 of 20 shots.

Comrie’s first test would come shortly after.  Jets defenceman Aaron Harstad hooked a racing Lomberg with the referee awarding a penalty shot.  But Comrie would make a glove save on the penalty shot to keep the Jets within one.  There was no scoring in the second period with the Flames leading in the shot department 25-17 after 40 minutes.

The Jets had three powerplays in the third period but couldn’t capitalize and with the goalie pulled Morgan Klimchuk sealed the deal with the empty netter with just five seconds remaining.

The Jets 2014 first round draft pick Nikolaj Ehlers was held pointless playing on the Jets top line with Lemieux and Nic Petan.  The final shots were 37-24 in favour of the Flames.  Comrie was perfect in stopping all 17 shots he faced.

Manitoba Moose head coach Keith McCambridge was behind the bench for the Jets.

The Jets rookies will next play the Vancouver Canucks top prospects on Sunday starting at 4:00pm CT and then they wrap up the Young Stars tournament on Monday afternoon against Connor McDavid and the rest of the Edmonton Oilers rookies.