Oilers V Jets in Penticton (Rookie Tournament)

Tyler Pitlick is a little behind the other two 2nd rounders from the 2010 entry draft. Curtis Hamilton had a huge season that saw him lead the WHL in plus minus and play for Canada at the World Juniors. Martin Marincin had a dynamite start to his season and despite a poor 2nd half he registered on the radar in a big way. Pitlick? Despite a solid year overall there’s nothing in the numbers that screams impact prospect: no monster pim total, he didn’t scored 35 goals and more than that he spent much of the spring injured. Beginning tonight, Pitlick has a chance to change our perception of his as the third prospect from that second round. I don’t even know if he’s completely healthy but Pitlick is in the lineup tonight.

All of this information is lifted from OilonWhyte and Jeffrey Chapman:

• RNH-Hamilton-Pelss
• Pitlick-Ferguson-Reider
• Smith-Czerwonka-Rajala
• Schaber-Tyrvainen-Abney
• Martindale extra forward
• Davidson-Blain
• Vannieuwenhuizen-Lowery
• Gernat-Fedun
• Bunz in goal

Interesting lineup, Hamilton and Pelss get the chance to play with the #1 overall pick again. I think they played well as a unit but would like to see better cash from Hamilton but maybe that comes tonight. Pitlick gets two solid wingers and that line should rock and roll a little, and after that it’ll be fun and fearsome. The blue is interesting too, I always associate Davidson and Blain together so that should be worth watching and Gernat-Fedun entertained two nights ago.

Bunz is the G, and a player worth watching closely. By eye this lineup is a little shy of opening night and the Jets should offer a stiffer opponent than Van City did the other night. I’d like to see a little more PP time for RNH and suspect we will.