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Oilers shutout Jets in Young Stars

Stuart Skinner’s 26-save performance leads Oilers past Jets in Young Stars Classic
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With traffic in front of his goal, the Winnipeg Jets weren’t able to rattle Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner, who earned a 3-0 win in the Canucks Young Stars Classic at the South Okanagan Events Centre Saturday. The Lethbridge Hurricanes goalie turned aside 26 shots. Emanuel Sequeira/Western News

After a two-point effort in Canucks Young Stars Classic debut, Davis Koch followed up his second game with the Edmonton Oilers by assisting on the winner in a 3-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.

Davis Koch, a graduate of the Okanagan Hockey Academy, works the puck in the Winnipeg Jets zone. Koch, on a tryout with the Oilers and plays in the WHL with the Edmonton Oil Kings, assisted on the winning goal.Emanuel Sequeira/Western News
Koch and Brandon Saigeon teamed up to set up Luke Coleman to put the Oilers up 1-0 at 6:50 of the first period. Stuart Skinner earned the shutout with a 26-save performance in the South Okanagan Events Centre Saturday.

“He made some timely saves for us at critical points of the game,” said Oilers head coach Gerry Fleming of Skinner’s performance to Oilers.com. “Any time there was any situation where we were scrambling a little bit in our zone he killed the play which allowed us to take a breath and regroup.”

Koch said their performance was good.

“I think we started off pretty well and kind of kept that going throughout all three periods and pushed them back,” said Koch, who played two years in the Okanagan Hockey Academy from 2011 to 13. “The Jets played a little tougher than Calgary did, but I think we managed it. I think we got lots of shots. We pressured them in their own zone. We pushed them back on their heels, their D and they turned the puck over.”

Watch Facebook Live interview with Koch

Another former OHA product in the lineup for the Oilers was Sahvan Khaira, who made his debut in the tournament.

“I think definitely at the start there is a lot of nerves,” said Khara, who like Koch is on a tryout with the Oilers.

The 6-3, 218 pound blueline protected the Oilers net, but also joined the rush when he felt it was right.

“You feel your game is a little different in the first period there. Once you figure out you can do it, it kind of all just ties together,” said Khaira, whose older brother Jujhar was drafted by the Oilers in the third round, 63rd overall in 2012. “I thought I played a pretty solid game. I think the whole team did. That makes it a lot easier when everybody is on the same page.”