Oilers Gameday @ Vegas: We’re Goin’ Streaking!

The Oilers are back in action tonight as they roll into Vegas (for the first time. On Connor’s 21st birthday. Hooboy) to take on the Pacific Western Conference-leading Golden Knights.

In October, people may have predicted that this matchup would feature the division leader but they never would have guessed that the Oilers would be scraping by on their name alone while the Golden Knights are actually winning games and stuff.

If this is the upside down, I can only hope Hopper comes to save us all.

Keys to the Game

Edmonton

• Try not to let Vegas score first. In their last 8 games, the Oilers have been outscored something like 22-6 in the first period. It’s not a coincidence that they’ve lost most of those games.
• Play some defence in the early minutes. Cam Talbot got pulled after letting in two on three shots, and then Al Montoya had to come in and clean up.

Vegas

• Score first. Last night the Oilers were able to come back because they were playing the Coyotes. This is a real NHL team, so chances are a 2-goal advantage for Vegas will be harder to overcome.

Players to Watch

Edmonton

• Connor is magical and he undressed an entire line of Coyotes last night and that should be burned into my retinas.

Vegas

• THE REAL DEAL JAMES NEAL. (Not really but typing that was fun
• Jonathan Marchessault is having himself a season, and that’s been rather surprising to some (especially Dale Tallon).

Projected Lineups

Edmonton

Patrick Maroon – Connor McDavid – Leon Draisaitl

Milan Lucic – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Jesse Puljujarvi

Jujhar Khaira – Ryan Strome – Mike Cammalleri

Drake Caggiula – Mark Letestu – Zack Kassian

Darnell Nurse – Adam Larsson

Oscar Klefbom – Matt Benning

Andrej Sekera – Kris Russell

Cam Talbot

Vegas

Jonathan Marchessault – William Karlsson – Reilly Smith

David Perron – Erik Haul – James Neal

Brendan Leipsic – Cody Eakin Alex Tuch

Tomas Nosek – Pierre-Édouard Bellemare – Will Carrier

Brayden McNabb – Nate Schmidt

Shea Theodore – Deryk Engelland

Colin Miller – Brad Hunt

Marc-Andre Fleury

Notes

With a win in Arizona, the Oilers only have to win 27 more games in regulation to hit 95 points. Slow and steady, or something. (For the record, it’s possible but not likely.)

Regardless of how this season actually ends, the organization needs to be, well, reorganized.