{"id":868743,"date":"2018-12-31T19:44:33","date_gmt":"2019-01-01T00:44:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/?p=868743"},"modified":"2018-12-31T19:44:33","modified_gmt":"2019-01-01T00:44:33","slug":"oilers-gameday-vs-winnipeg-2019-cant-start-soon-enough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/news\/oilers-gameday-vs-winnipeg-2019-cant-start-soon-enough\/","title":{"rendered":"Oilers Gameday vs Winnipeg: 2019 Can’t Start Soon Enough"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the final time in 2017<\/del> 2018, the Oilers are taking the ice tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. It’s been a generation since they’ve won a New Year’s Eve game, but you never know what might happen tonight.<\/p>\n

Last game against Chicago<\/del> San Jose was….not great. If it hadn’t been for some late 3rd period heroics, the Oilers would have walked away from Thursday’s<\/del> Saturday’s game with no points. Instead, they eked out a point which maybe isn’t going to be enough<\/del> walked away with no points in a pretty important divisional match.<\/p>\n

See, the Oilers have dug themselves a bit of a hole this season, and they might not be able to dig out. Based on their current pace, the Oilers are on track to hit 80<\/del> 84 points this season, far off the mark for a playoff spot.<\/p>\n

Assuming the cutoff for the playoffs is about 95 points, the Oilers have to earn 58<\/del> 56 points in their remaining 44 games, starting tonight, in order to have a sniff. That means they have to play at a 108<\/del> 103 point pace (without giving up Bettman points to conference rivals) to get there.<\/p>\n

It’s a tall order and I’m not sure it can be filled.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/dellowhockey\/status\/946959159953707009<\/p>\n

(ed. Yep, that was from last NYE, because even though SO MANY THINGS have changed, nothing’s changed.)<\/em><\/p>\n

Keys to the Game<\/h3>\n

Edmonton<\/span><\/p>\n