Pre-season opens with a loss

Blue-collar Oilers spoil Elliott’s debut

The evaluation process, for everyone, has officially begun.

For Brian Elliott, the Flames netminder — modelling his all-red attire for the first time — it was about adjusting to the subtleties of the Scotiabank Saddledome ice in Monday’s pre-season clash against the Edmonton Oilers.

He looked comfortable, stopping all 12 shots he faced.

But more importantly, he looked like a National Hockey Leaguer because, well, he is.

For Troy Brouwer, who put the puck in the net in the first period but was waved off for goalie interference, it was about finding some flow with his new squad.

For Ryan Lomberg, who desperately wants to make a career out of this game, it was about proving he has grit, and he dropped the gloves with Oilers’ minorleaguer Braden Christoffer. And for Sam Bennett? Someone should probably tell the 20-year-old Flames centre he’s already made the team.

Bennett was easily the most noticeable player on the ice, particularly with just over six minutes left in the third period. And again with four minutes left on another Bennettto-Brouwer chance.

But they didn’t get a victory, falling 2-1 to the bluecollar bunch of Oilers sent down to Calgary.

They didn’t get a victory, falling 2-1 to the blue-collar bunch of Oilers sent down to Calgary. Still, there were plenty of good elements to take away from the clash.

Still, there were plenty of good elements to take away from the clash.

With nine seconds left, Dennis Wideman fed Mark Giordano. The captain teed up a shot from the point and connected. Too little, too late.

Anton Slepyshev put the Oilers on the board with 7:27 elapsed in the third period, a powerplay marker from below the goal-line as Flames prospect Mason McDonald couldn’t get to the post fast enough and the puck bounced off his back.

The Oilers scored again with 1:03 remaining as Jere Sallinen soared an empty-netter with McDonald heading to the Flames’ bench.

Sparkplug rookie Matthew Tkachuk, in case you were wondering, took a penalty early on and got into it with Josh Currie after the Oilers’ second goal.

Still, Bennett had jump, and so did a handful of Flames. It just wasn’t enough.

Early on, they couldn’t connect on their chances.

Matt Stajan should have had an easy tap-in from Hunter Shinkaruk, but wound up hitting the outside of the net.

The Flames also had another nice chance shortly after — Bennett on a partial breakaway — but Darnell Nurse caught up to him and broke it up while Oilers netminder Jonas Gustavsson directed the puck to the corner.

The man they call the Monster departed the ice midway through the second period after stopping all 11 shots he faced. The Oilers’ new backup netminder looked sharp. Laurent Brossoit was sent in for duty.

On the other end, Elliott remained in the net for two full periods before McDonald took over in the third.

The Flames continue their preseason schedule Tuesday in Winnipeg before returning home to host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.