Oilers Game Day: Vs. Detroit Red Wings

<![CDATA[There was a time, not so long ago, back in and around when the Red Wings called the Western Conference home, that a Saturday night game against Detroit would be a cring inducing ordeal. Ugliness was all but guaranteed. Flash ahead to 2017, and although an ugly game remains rather possible, for the first time in a long time, the odds favour the Oilers.

The snow still falls by the truckload in Edmonton, but the sky is much, much brighter.

Ramifications of Tonight

The calendar has flipped to March, and with it has come altered conversations of the Oilers end of season fortunes. Rather than day-to-day discourse revolving around whether or not Edmonton will make the postseason, instead, the discussion is centred on the spot in which the Oilers will enter. It is in this conversation that the importance of tonight’s game comes into play.

The Flames (bleh) continue to roll on a remarkable hot streak-sfollowing a win against Detroit less than 24 hours ago-and as a result, sit only 2 points behind the Oilers and Ducks in the Pacific. Speaking of Anaheim, the young Leafs from the East couldn’t help their Canadian friends out last night, giving the Ducks their own pair of coveted points.

A win tonight, and the Oilers can regain their 4 point lead on the Flames, while going half a step ahead of Anaheim, and at the same time, keep a faint hope of 1st place alive. A loss, and it increases the potential of having a few more hooves thunder down the final stretch directly beside the Oilers.

Oilers Keys to the Game

• Playing to their Potential: The Oilers are the better team tonight, for this there is no question. Not only that, but the Red Wings are on the second half of a back-to-back. So it is simple… if the Oilers play up to their potential, to the pace and quality of game that we have seen for much of the season, they will win.
• Sharpen up the PK: Over the past few games, the Oilers have been absolutely atrocious on the penalty kill. Edmonton shouldn’t run into penalty trouble tonight as they aren’t the tired team, but if they do, their PK will have to improve. Give up 1 or 2 on the kill, and the potential of an upset increases.

Players to Watch

Edmonton Oilers

• David Desharnais: It’s always so much fun when your team acquires a new player, especially when they are someone who will contribute on the main roster. There is always so much anticipation to watch them play, which is why Desharnais is the player to watch for the Oil tonight. He will be wearing #13 and centre a line in between Kassian and Caggiula. Expect that line to see some soft minutes.

Detroit Red Wings

• Henrik Zetterberg: Henrik is 36 years old, and will be 37 before the 17/18 season starts. He has been one of the best Red Wings over the past decade and has been a true joy to watch play; when he isn’t spanking the Oilers (41 points in 44 games). Zetterberg is having a fine year with 49 points on the campaign, and we might as well appreciate a great player in the final stages of his career. Or he could pull a Jagr and make me look like an idiot, but you know what I’m saying.

The Lineups

Edmonton Oilers

Maroon – McDavid – Draisaitl

Lucic – Nugent-Hopkins – Eberle

Caggiula – Desharnais – Kassian

Hendricks – Letestu – Khaira

Klefbom – Larsson

Sekera – Benning

Nurse – Gryba

Talbot

Detroit Red Wings

Tatar – Zetterberg – Mantha

Athanasiou – Nielson – Sheahan

Abdelkader – Helm – Larkin

Callahan – Glendening – Miller

DeKeyser – Green

Kronwall – Jensen

Ouellet – Sproul

Mrazek

Game Notes

• The Edmonton Oilers have only ever faced Peter Mrazek twice. He owns a 1-1 record against the team.
• Kris Russell is back out of the lineup as he is banged up, meaning Matt Benning will draw back in. Benning has been good to great all year, but recently has looked a bit more chaotic than we have come to expect. Take note of how the rookie looks tonight after have a couple evenings in the press box.
• The Oilers currently have 3 players who have 20 or more goals: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Patrick Maroon. The Red Wings only have one player, Thomas Tatar, who is within 5 goals of 20 (15), after trading away Thomas Vanek to the Panthers.
• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins went 7 games, from late January to mid February, without a point. In his last 7 games, he has a total of 6. He assisted on both of the Oiler goals the other night in St. Louis.
• To compound that, Jordan Eberle has 6 points in his last 8, and Lucic 5 in his last 8. That trio getting hot in the stretch could be the key to home ice advantage in the playoffs.

Prediction

I can’t believe that I am going to predict a beat down of the Red Wings, but I do believe it will happen. I recall the Oilers in late January demolishing a better Flames team on Hockey Night in Canada. That was beautiful.

And because I no longer fear the Oilers and HNIC, I will say that the Oilers win this game handily, 4-0. Talbot gets a relaxed shutout, Nugent-Hopkins gets another pair of assists, and McDavid, as he did in his rookie year, scores a brilliant goal off the rush.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMV-fenGP1g]]>