Edmonton (30-22-4) at Calgary (33-14-7)

For the Oilers, a loss against a rejuvenated Montreal team was a sign that no opponent should be taken lightly. However, if there is one opponent for which that will not be an issue, this season in particular but also ever, the eternal rival Calgary Flames.

The embers of envy have been glowing hot as the Flames have authored an unlikely ascension to the league’s contending class after re-aligning themselves with Coach Sutter midway through last season. For all the ways the Oilers have been underwhelming, inconsistent, and at times even fragile, the Flames have been the exact opposite. A roster that looked lost through last season has become a Flames team that is steadfast in their identity, and getting the most out of many players throughout the lineup.

With time dwindling down on the regular season the time is now for the Oilers to make their move up the standings. Precariously dangling on the edge of playoff contention is not the position this organization expected of themselves. The coach has been replaced, the top 6 has been added to, the defence has evolved, seemingly all the moves that could be made, save for a goaltending upgrade, have been made. It speaks to the desperation surrounding all levels of the organization, the mortal coil staring back from the mirror, the tantalizing nature of talent and the fleeting nature of time compounding into each other.

All the intensity and pressure should be on display tonight, and it will be on the Oilers to channel it in a productive way in what is sure to be a physical and competitive contest. We’ll see Koskinen and Markstrom in net for their teams.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Edmonton:

1. Stop Gaudreau. Once dubbed Johnny Hockey, Gaudreau is having perhaps his best season to date. He clearly has the green light to push up the ice for attacking purposes and has been a force off of the rush.
2. Matching Intensity. Not that the Oilers need to be pugilists, but the battle level and willingness to compete has to at least match their opponents. The Flames relish a physical and intense playoff style game, and to have any hopes of emerging from tonight’s game as victors the Oilers will need to deliver in this area.

Calgary:

1. Forecheck. The Flames have been very strong in this department, often hemming in opponents which creates offence. It also prevents the other team from generating any offence of their own. With an Oilers blueline that features many NHL rookies no doubt that the Flames will be licking their chops at the opportunity to exploit the Oilers breakout.

EXPECTED LINEUPS

Edmonton: Bouchard is a game time decision.

McLeod — McDavid — Hyman

Kane — Draisaitl — Yamamoto

Foegele — Ryan — Shore

Benson — xxxxx — Turris

Nurse — Ceci

Keith — Bouchard

Niemelainen — Lagesson

Broberg — xxxxx

Koskinen

Smith

Calgary:

Gaudreau — Lindholm — Tkachuk

Coleman — Backlund — Lewis

Mangiapane — Ruzicka — Toffoli

Lucic — Monahan — Dube

Hanifin — Andersson

Kylington — Tanev

Zadorov — Gudbranson

Markstrom

Vladar

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Edmonton:

Based on Bouchard’s availability, we might see Coach Woodcroft go with 12 forwards and 6 defenders for the first time in his Oilers tenure.

The forward group is depleted with injuries, in particular McLeod and Ryan are being pushed into different roles than usual, while Shore and Turris might normally be scratches.

Should Bouchard be unavailable, Broberg, Niemelainen, and Lagesson will be thrust into more important roles against a fierce Calgary forecheck. The impetus will be on the forwards, especially the centres, to be detailed and diligent in supporting them in their own end.

Calgary:

The Flames are relatively healthy and boast a deep and complete lineup, where trying to number lines is not necessarily a productive endeavour. Most notably the top line of Gaudreau-Lindholm-Tkachuk has been perhaps the league’s best. All three have been significant players for years now, but Lindholm in particular has ascended to another level. He’s been a two-way force at centre, playing in both phases of special teams, and upped his offensive production between his all-star wingers.

Like most on the Flames, Backlund is having a nice season, deep into his career. Having 2 time Cup champ Blake Coleman on his wing certainly gives their line a defensive flavour, both responsible and competitive. Trevor Lewis joins, a Sutter classic he plays with speed, can chip in on faceoffs and has the savvy to contribute to the lines defensive prowess.

Adam Ruzicka is a particular area of focus for me personally, as tonight will be as good a look as I’ve had the chance to see what his game is. An older prospect at 23, he’s continued to make his way up through the Flames organization. He embodies a lot of what the Flames value, with speed and intensity, and is positioned in a role to contribute offensively with scoring wingers Toffoli and Mangiapane on his line.

Contrasting Lindholm’s career arc is his teammate and fellow 2013 draft class alum Sean Monahan. Monahan burst onto the scene much more quickly than Lindholm, but has seen his abilities wane in recent seasons. From the outside it seems as though injuries have been the main culprit of his decline, including a recent hip surgery that many suggest will not be back to full health until next season. He has a pair of physically imposing wingers who each have some semblance of offensive pedigree in Lucic and Dube.

Meanwhile, the Flames defence has helped into as strong and deep a blueline as any. Hanifin and Andersson are both at a prime age and compliment each other’s games nicely, Hanifin being fleet of foot and Andersson being physical with a mean streak. Neither are elite offensive options but both contribute on the power play.

Tanev is one of the league’s best defensive defencemen, proving that old-school players still have a spot in today’s game. Kylington has good puck moving skills and is continuing to blossom into a legitimate top 4 option. Kylington took a very scary looking fall into the boards last week against the Wild and I’m thoroughly shocked and delighted to see that he’s doing well.

One of the biggest surprises around the league is the stellar play of the Zadorov-Gudbranson pairing. Both were extremely high draft picks once upon a time, but have seen those reputations deteriorate with poor results, especially in flow-of-play metrics, over the years. It’s rare to see such a clear testament to an organization’s valuation systems and a coaching staff’s deployment decisions, as from the scrap heap the Flames have conjured a physically imposing and defensively sound pairing.

Behind a stellar and committed defensive team, Markstrom is authoring a career year, living up to the the promise of dominance the Florida Panthers saw when they drafted him all those years ago.

We likely won’t see him in action tonight, but Dan Vladar looks to be a very capable NHL goaltender. He was the odd man out of a crowded crease in Boston, which included the since-retired Rask, free agent acquisition Ullmark, and the younger Swayman. Markstrom has been a workhorse, limiting the number of games that Vladar has played, but there is a lot to like in his game.