Dylan Holloway continued to impress for the Edmonton Oilers, netting a hat trick and picking up an assist in a 7-2 pre-season win over the Vancouver Canucks Monday night at Rogers Place.
“It was one of those nights where everything just seems to go right,” Holloway said post-game. “I owe a lot to my linemates. I was playing with two pretty good players in (Draisaitl) and (Hyman), so I thought we played well and it’s great to get the win.”
All eyes were on the Oilers youngster, who was in the lineup again and this time in the top six, on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman. Holloway would open the scoring halfway through the first, deflecting a shot from Darnell Nurse past Connor Delia.
“He had a heck of a game tonight,” Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft said. “I thought that line was the best line on the ice. They controlled the puck and didn’t give up a ton against.”
”He works 200 feet of the rink,” Barrie said of Holloway. “He plays well defensively and then he’s got the skills and the speed, so he’s going to be a big addition.”
The Canucks finally cashed in on their fifth power play of the game early in the second when Nils Hoglander fired a shot past Jack Campbell. On an Oilers power play, Evan Bouchard made a nice play to glove down a Canucks clearing attempt. A few seconds later, Connor McDavid fed Zach Hyman for a tap-in. Holloway scored 26 seconds later, ripping a sharp angle shot over Delia’s right shoulder. Conor Garland replied with a tip for the Canucks before Tyson Barrie made it 4-2 Oilers after two.
“We definitely took too many penalties, and it killed the rhythm to the game,” Barrie said. “But we did a good job of sticking with it and staying out of the box in the second half.”
Jack Campbell made a spectacular save on Garland in the third, extending his glove to snatch the puck just before it crossed the goal line.
“I thought (Campbell) was really good,” Woodcroft said post-game. “He made big saves when called upon, but I think he made a bunch of really big saves early in the game… he was very good and a big reason why the goals against were only two for the other team.”
Holloway completed the hat trick with 2:41 left in the game. Warren Foegele scored goals 51 seconds apart to round out the scoring.
Campbell finished with 28 saves.
Tyler Benson left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return.
“He tried to come back and take a shift and it wasn’t feeling where he wanted it to,” Woodcroft said of Benson.
The Oilers will continue the pre-season in Abbotsford against the Canucks on Wednesday (630 CHED, Face-off Show 6 p.m., game at 8 p.m.)
— With files from Brenden Escott, 630 CHED