The Edmonton Oilers are playoff bound (yeah, that’s a thing), but there is still tons left to play for with only six games remaining in the regular season. Tonight, the Oilers host the San Jose Sharks for the first of two meetings in a week. The sides will finish the regular season series next Thursday in Cali, and could meet in the opening round of the playoffs.
As it currently stands, Edmonton and San Jose are tied with 93 points for second in the Pacific Division. The clinching was done on Tuesday night, but this remains a rather large game for both the Oilers and the Sharks.
Cam Talbot goes in net for the Oilers tonight while Martin Jones is expected to start for the Sharks.
Keys To The Game:
Edmonton: The Oilers have to play that physical and aggressive style that they played on Tuesday against the Kings. Edmonton has been bullied by this Sharks team for years and has a chance to return the favor tonight. Be physical with these guys and make it a hard game for a struggling hockey team.
San Jose: The Sharks must find a way to pressure the high danger areas against this Edmonton team. While the Oilers have improved in every area, the Sharks still were able to bully their way to the most dangerous offensive areas in the first three meetings. If the Sharks do that again tonight, they’ll win this hockey game.
Players To Watch:
Edmonton: Leon Draisaitl always seems to play his best hockey against the teams from California. I expect the forward to continue his hot streak against a San Jose team that plays the exact style that Leon seems to prefer. This matchup just seems like a very good one for the big German.
San Jose: Jannik Hansen was the big prize for San Jose at the deadline, and tonight he will skate on the team’s third line. Hansen always seemed to play the Oilers well while he was in Vancouver, and San Jose coach Pete DeBoer has been singing his praises since the trade happened. I’ll be watching Hansen closely tonight.
The Lines:
Matt Benning, after an injury scare on the weekend, is back in the lineup tonight for the Oilers, likely in the place of Eric Gryba. The Oilers’ forward lines are expected to remain the same, as the club has now won seven of its last eight contests.
Edmonton Oilers Lines:
Patrick Maroon – Connor McDavid – Leon Draisaitl
Milan Lucic – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Jordan Eberle
Benoit Pouliot – David Desharnais – Zack Kassian
Drake Caggiula – Mark Letestu – Anton Slepyshev
Oscar Klefbom – Adam Larsson
Andrej Sekera – Kris Russell
Darnell Nurse – Matt Benning
Cam Talbot
San Jose Sharks Lines:
Timo Meier – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Melker Karlsson – Patrick Marleau – Joel Ward
Jannik Hansen – Tomas Hertl – Mikkel Boedker
Joonas Donskoi – Chris Tierney – Michael Haley
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Brendan Dillon – David Schlemko
Martin Jones
Game Notes:
A victory tonight by the Oilers would put them at 95 points, their highest point total since the 2005-06 season. Prior to that, Edmonton’s highest point total in a single season was 99, which was accomplished during the 1987-88 season. The highest point total in franchise history is 119, which happen in both 1983-84 and 1985-86.
The franchise wins record in a single season is 40, which was set by Hall of Fame netminder Grant Fuhr during the 1987-88 season. Cam Talbot currently has 38 wins on the season and can climb within one of the record with a victory tonight against the Sharks. Talbot is currently second on the list, two ahead of Tommy Salo’s 36 wins in 2000-01.
Connor McDavid’s lead on the NHL scoring race has been cut to just five points after Patrick Kane’s performance last night in Pittsburgh. McDavid’s 89 points leads Kane (84), Sidney Crosby (82), Nicklas Backstrom (82), and Brad Marchand (81). Leon Draisaitl (71) is currently tenth in NHL scoring and one point behind Pittsburgh’ Evgeni Malkin. Brent Burns leads the Sharks with 73 points on the season.
Prediction:
Edmonton once again, to the surprise of no one, struggles out of the gate against San Jose. Cam Talbot, just as he did in January, calms the waters and keeps the game even at zero through twenty minutes. Edmonton takes over against a frustrated San Jose team and pulls away to win this game 4-2.
McDavid, Kassian, Klefbom and Lucic get the goals for the Oilers tonight, while Marleau and Pavelski score in a losing effort for the visitors.
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