The Winnipeg Jets capped off the 2024 Young Stars Classic with a dominant defensive effort that earned them a 2-0 win. They didn’t only blank the Oilers in the game but prevented them from winning a game at the tournament at all as they finished with a 0-3 record.Winnipeg were lifted by a duel effort in net from high-end goalie prospects Thomas Milic and Domenic DiVincentiis, who split time between the pipes and helped stopped all 27 of the Oilers shots.
The game started off slow to start but quickly picked up in the first period due to a Winnipeg’s Mark Liwiski and Edmonton’s Nate Corbet dropping their gloves in a tilt where both players seemingly looked like they wanted to make a name for themselves. The game’s first score didn’t take place until the second period, where Jets 2020 second round pick Daniel Torgersson finished off a play set up by second-year pro Danil Zhilkin and the recently-acquired Brayden Yager.
The game remained physical with this game being the last chance for many to show what they have before being shipped of to junior or other professional training camps. The enhanced phyciality lead to a nifty net front deflection by 23-year-old Henri Nikkanen, who will enter his fourth season with the Manitoba Moose next season. The shot was intially shot by Jets 2023 first round pick Colby Barlow, who could look to play his first full season at the professional level after playing just four games with the Moose so far.
It was the chance for many prospects to show what they have and prepare themselves for NHL preseason, which starts later this week on Saturday. Winnipeg will open up their preseason versus the Minnesota Wild and could showcase a continue of some of the successful lines that ran together at the Young Stars Classic. The preseason tournament every season is organized with the Vancouver Canucks as they bring together the four western Canadian hockey teams and help each other get an extra headstart on the preseason.
