Just a day after making some roster changes, the Oilers return to the ice tonight to host the LA Kings at Rexall. It’ll be the second meeting between the sides, who are both under-performing to a degree. Edmonton was expected to at least compete for a playoff spot, but instead has lost 20 of it’s last 21 games and sits last in the NHL, while LA has struggled through stretches.
Edmonton gets Nikita Nikitin back tonight, and adds Matt Fraser and Derek Roy to the line-up, but will still be without Benoit Pouliot. Los Angeles is still without defender Slava Voynov, who is facing an off-ice issue.
Ben Scrivens is likely to start for the Oilers, while Martin Jones likely goes for the Kings tonight, who played in Calgary last night.
Last Games:
Edmonton: The Oilers game against the Flames Saturday was over before the ten minute mark, as once again Edmonton’s goaltending imploded. Joe Colborne scored a soft goal at the 7:08 mark that basically ended the game, while Johnny Gaudreau added a pair of goals 16 seconds apart just over eight minutes into the frame.
The second period saw Edmonton push back, but it wasn’t enough as the Oil couldn’t solve Jonas Hiller, who stopped all 13 Edmonton shots in the frame.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins got the Oilers within two 4:23 into the third with a goal, but it mattered not as Curtis Glencross padded Calgary’s lead to 4-1 at the ten minute mark. Hiller would stop 26 Oiler shots en route to the 4-1 win for Calgary.
Los Angeles: The Kings also last played in Calgary, just one night ago against those pesky Flames. Calgary came out flying here too, getting a Curtis Glencross goal 12:13 in to break the ice. Markus Granlund added insurance 1:02 later, putting the Flames up 2-0 after the first.
The Kings pushed back hard against Hiller and his Flames in the second, and finally broke through late, 51 seconds left late, to get within one thanks to a Tyler Toffoli goal.
The Kings would out-shoot the Flames 10-5 in the final frame, but couldn’t solve the hot Jonas Hiller, who stopped everything thrown his way to preserve a massive 2-1 win for the Flames.
Last Meeting:
Edmonton visited Los Angeles back in October in a game that was ugly from the start. Jeff Carter scored just 3:06 in and basically put Edmonton away. The Oilers would fold, and Justin Williams and Tyler Toffoli would take advantage to put the Kings up 3-0 after one.
LA struck early again in the second, this time 5:04 in with a Dustin Brown goal. Tanner Pearson would make it 5-0, and then make it 6-0 in the third with his second of the night, this time a power-play marker.
Matt Hendricks would score a garbage time goal with less than a minute left, but it meant nothing as Jonathan Quick made 31 saves en route to a 6-1 drubbing of the lowly Oilers.
Keys To The Games:
Edmonton: Get there on time guys! Edmonton has lost their last two games in the first five minutes, giving up soft goals off the hop. If that happens again tonight, this could be the worst game of the year. If Edmonton can start strong and push, maybe the result will be different this time around.
Los Angeles: Stick to the system. The Kings will be tired after playing last night and travelling north, and could try to do too much early. If LA just plays their game, a solid and physical style, then they’ll run over Edmonton with ease tonight.
Players To Watch:
Edmonton: New winger Matt Fraser makes his Oiler debut tonight, and will be looking to make an impact. He can hit and has a good shot, he’s what the Oilers need in the bottom six. I’m not sure he’ll score, but I’m betting he gets noticed tonight.
Los Angeles: Jeff Carter owns the Edmonton Oilers. This is a proven fact, there is no debating that. On top of this, Carter is hot yet again, and Edmonton can’t stop a nose bleed. Add two and two together, and you get the picture. Carter should get a goal tonight and once again torture the Oilers.
Quick Notes:
The Oilers claimed F Matt Fraser off waivers from Boston on Monday, and also traded F Mark Arcobello to Nashville for F Derek Roy. Both Roy and Fraser are expected in the line-up tonight. F Leon Draisaitl is sick, and missed practice on Monday. He is questionable for tonight’s game.
The Lines:
Edmonton Oilers Lines:
Taylor Hall – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Teddy Purcell
David Perron – Derek Roy – Jordan Eberle
Nail Yakupov – Leon Draisaitl – Matt Fraser
Matt Hendricks – Boyd Gordon – Tyler Pitlick
Oscar Klefbom – Mark Fayne
Andrew Ference – Jeff Petry
Nikita Nikitin – Justin Schultz
Ben Scrivens
Los Angeles Kings Lines:
Marian Gaborik – Anze Kopitar – Jeff Carter
Dustin Brown – Jarrett Stoll – Justin Williams
Tanner Pearson – Trevor Lewis – Tyler Toffoli
Kyle Clifford – Mike Richards – Dwight King
Jake Muzzin – Drew Doughty
Alec Martinez – Matt Greene
Brayden McNabb – Jamie McBain
Martin Jones
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