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Rookie Caggiula leads Oilers over Flames in pre-season split-squad game

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CALGARY — New Flames starting goaltender Mike Smith won't be losing sleep over his less than ideal start to the pre-season.

In just under 29 minutes of action, Smith was beaten four times on 13 shots — including two goals off the stick of Drake Caggiula — as the Edmonton Oilers beat Calgary 5-4 in a split-squad exhibition game Monday.

"As a younger player, I would dwell on it for quite some time," said the 35-year-old Smith. "But I've found over the years, that just makes matters worse."

Calgary cleaned house in the crease in the off-season, moving on from Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson and bringing in Smith and Eddie Lack via trades. Smith had spent the last six seasons in Arizona.

"I'll go home tonight, get a good night's sleep and have a good day off tomorrow, spend some time with the family," Smith said. "But understand that I've got some work to do."

Glen Gulutzan shrugged off Smith's outing, saying games early in the pre-season are more difficult for goalies.

"They see three practices and if you think all of our skates in the summer, it's pretty tough on them when guys are playing shinny hockey," said the Flames coach. "It's their work with the goalie coach in the next 10 days, and the shooters that we have, and things we set up, that gets them ready."

Sean Monahan put the home team in front on the first shot of the game, but Edmonton reeled off the next four goals. Caggiula started the spree on a deflection at 5:24 of the first, then added a power-play goal at 6:12 of the second to make it 4-1.

Yohann Auvitu, Jujhar Khaira and 2017 first-round pick Kailer Yamamoto also scored for Edmonton.

Dougie Hamilton, TJ Brodie and 2012 first rounder Mark Jankowski had the other Calgary goals.

Edmonton also won the second split-squad game Monday, beating the Flames 5-2 at home.

Hamilton's slapshot at 9:10 of the second cut the deficit to 4-2, but Yamamoto took advantage of Mark Giordano's giveaway, tucking a shot inside the post on Jon Gillies to restore the three-goal cushion 1:50 into the third.

"We were sloppy at times," said Giordano. "Turnovers, I made one in the third. A bunch of us made some that cost us."

Laurent Brossoit started in net for the Oilers and stopped 12-of-13 shot. Nick Ellis made 17 saves in relief.

Gillies turned aside eight-of-nine shots in his half-game.

The NHL's crackdown on slashing was evident with six players whistled for the infraction. Edmonton was 1-for-7 on the power play while Calgary was 1-for-8.

"We knew it was going to be a power-play game today, which is good for us. We needed some work," said Gulutzan. "We were rusty in the first, but you can see later on, we got a little bit more crisp."

Notes: Both teams play again on Wednesday, Calgary home to Vancouver and Edmonton in Winnipeg. ... The Oilers also swept the split-squad games last year. Edmonton then went on to win all four regular-season meetings too... Calgary Matthew Tkachuk (hip) did not play Monday but the injury is considered minor. He could play as soon as Wednesday.

Darren Haynes, The Canadian Press


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