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Sharks (2-0-0, second place) @ Oilers (1-0-0, second place)
8 p.m. MST | TSN
Rexall Place
Tickets
The opposing view: Fear The Fin, Battle of California
Top Story: The Oilers aren't terrible anymore, but they're still flawed. The Sharks are once again loaded, but they're dinged up. Can the Oilers steal two more points from another predicted playoff team?
The Oilers are saying:
"He’s got a great shot and always finds a way to get it through, and for a defenseman, that’s rare"
--Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, on Justin Schultz
The Opponent is saying:
"It's one game. You've got to string a bunch together and stick with it. It was just great to be back on the ice."
We caught a glimpse of the aggressive new penalty kill, which looked pretty good up until the point Douglas Murray got involved. I love Murray, but on the list of adjectives you would use to describe him, "mobile" is very very low (a few hundred spots beneath "stalwart," "mighty," "hale," and "pertinacious"). I'm optimistic about how the penalty kill will look once Jason Demers and Brent Burns are healthy (and Scott Gomez would look pretty sweet in a forward role!) but as long as Murray is seeing time on the PK the Sharks are going to have a problem.
--Megaladon, Battle of California
Key matchup: Ralph Kreuger will have to decide if he wants Jeff Petry and Ladislav Smid out against Joe Thornton or Logan Couture. Pick your poison and hope that the Schultzes break even against the other line.