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Lind helps lead Canucks to victory

Kelowna Rockets91Ƶ Kole Lind91Ƶs three-point night leads Canucks to win in Young Stars Classic
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Brock Broeser of the Vancouver Canucks leads the rush out of his end in the game against the Winnipeg Jets Friday at the South Okanagan Events Centre in the teams91Ƶ first match of the Canucks Young Stars Classic. The Canucks won the game 4-2. Mark Brett/Western News

Kelowna Rockets forward Kole Lind sealed the fate of the Winnipeg Jets with an empty-net tally with 15 seconds left.

The goal was Lind91Ƶs third point of the evening as he helped the Vancouver Canucks open the with a 4-2 victory Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Lind teamed up with Brett McKenzie to set up Jonah Gadjovich and Griffen Molino for two power play tallies.

91ƵIt was nice for sure. I think the biggest thing is we got the win,91Ƶ said Lind. 91ƵWe had a good start and then we let off in the second and then in the third we kind of got back to things, that was good.91Ƶ

Selected by the Canucks in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft, Lind said he felt like he fit in with his linemates, crediting team building activities for that. Lind had a nervous moment late in the game as he was sent to the penalty box for cross-checking at the 17 minute mark. He got his redemption with the goal empty after blocking a shot.

91ƵIt was good for sure. Those guys were chirping at me all night,91Ƶ said Lind of the Jets prospects. 91ƵI know a couple of guys over there and it was nice to shove it in their face.91Ƶ

, who enters his second pro season, got the start and turned aside 18 of 20 shots.

91ƵI thought we dominated in the first and third which was huge for us and then good players are going to make plays,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵThey ended up getting some chances in the second there. I thought we weathered the storm. Took back control in the third. Our team did a great job of not thinking about themselves first. Sometimes we run into that problem at this tournament. I think our guys did a really good job of looking for others to make plays, and kind of sharing the wealth. I think that helped us out a ton.91Ƶ

Brock Boeser, one of the Canucks91Ƶ top prospects, was held off the scoresheet, but snapped a hard shot off the post, which was easily heard in the arena.

The Canucks Young Stars Classic opened with the Battle of Alberta. After a scoreless opening period, the Flames took a 2-1 lead into the third period. Juuso Valimaki and Mark Jankowski scored for the Flames, while Chad Butcher replied for the Oilers. In the third period, the Oilers took over scoring three goals en route to a 4-2 win. Butcher scored his second of the game, while Evan Polei and Kirill Maksimov also scored. Okanagan Hockey Academy alumni David Koch finished with two assists.

91ƵThey definitely had an impact on the game,91Ƶ said head coach Gerry Fleming to Oilers.com of the Butcher, Maksimov and Koch, which combined for seven points. 91ƵThey brought a lot of energy and their compete level was high tonight so it was nice to see them get rewarded with points.91Ƶ

Davis Koch interview from Oilers.com.

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Vancouver Canucks young stars defenceman Cole Candella dives to grab this puck to prevent what would have been the tying goal by the Winnipeg Jets in Friday91Ƶs first game of the Canucks Young Stars Classic at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Vancouver doubled the Jets 4-2 with an empty-net goal. Mark Brett/Western News




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