The Edmonton Oilers scored three goals in a span of 2:05 early in the third period to knock off the Calgary Flames 4-2 in the opening game of the annual Young Stars Classic in Penticton.
Chad Butcher sparked the offence with two goals and an assist. Dylan Wells was solid in goal, making 26 saves.
The Flames opened the scoring early in the second period on a goal from Juuso Valimaki. Butcher tied it with a power play goal about four minutes later. Mark Jankowski made it 2-1 Calgary late in the frame.
Butcher converted a breakaway 1:24 into the third to tie it up. Evan Polei gave the Oilers their first lead of the night 1:13 later by tipping in a Ryan Mantha shot. Kirill Maksimov drilled a mid-range wrist shot past Tyler Parsons to seal the Oilers rally.
“We kind of came out a little bit slow. A lot of us haven’t played a game in a long time,” said Butcher, who played for Medicine Hat in the WHL last season. “We were a little bit nervous, but we pushed through it. We started moving the puck around and making plays.”
The Oilers will play the Winnipeg Jets Saturday night and then the Vancouver Canucks Monday afternoon. That game can be heard on 630 CHED starting at 3 p.m.