Oilers v. Ducks - John 11:35

Jesus wept.

Edmonton Oilers @ Anaheim Ducks

Honda Center, 8:00 p.m. MST
Television: Sportsnet

Visiting Team Scouting Report: The Ducks are winning a lot of games in the very tough Western Conference, but they're not doing it like everybody else. There are four teams in the NHL who still have a one-digit number in the regulation loss column. Their Fenwick percentages five-on-five with the score tied? 57.8%, 55.2%, 54.4%, and 49.7%. That last one is Anaheim who have been able to buck the trend with a league-leading PDO of 102.9 in those situations (9.9% shooting percentage and 93.0% save percentage). That will probably come back to earth eventually, and should make the Ducks the most desirable playoff match-up in the Pacific (it's a great division).

Expected Lineups:

Edmonton Oilers (13-25-5):

Hall - Nugent-Hopkins - Perron
Yakupov - Gagner - Eberle
Smyth - Gordon - Hemsky
Gazdic - Lander - Joensuu

Ference - J Schultz
Belov - Petry
N Schultz - Hunt

Dubnyk

Anaheim Ducks (29-8-5):

Silfverberg - Getzlaf - Perry
Penner - Perreault - Selanne
Palmieri - Koivu - Cogliano
Beleskey - Bonino - Jackman

Beauchemin - Lindholm
Fowler - Lovejoy
Vatanen - Fistric

Hiller

By The Numbers:

• Ryan Smyth is averaging more than sixteen minutes per game in ice time so far this season. If he's not ready to retire at the end of the year, do the Oilers bring him back? I don't see why not (unless he fights with the organization about money). If that happens, Smyth probably becomes the second player in history with 1,000 regular season games with the Oilers, and may even break Kevin Lowe's record of 1.037 games.
• I just mentioned it the last time these two teams played, but Andrew Cogliano is now up to 500 consecutive games, which is awfully impressive. He's also on pace for his best season ever in terms of goals (0.31 per game), points (0.57) and shots on goal (1.98). As a fan who remembers Cogliano's three consecutive overtime goals well, it always brings a smile to see him doing well.
  
• So... the Oilers have recalled Brad Hunt from the Oklahoma City Barons, where he's had a good season so far. Hunt, now 25, signed a two-year deal Oilers in July, and I said at the time that I'd be surprised to see him get any NHL action. As it turns out, OKC's leading scorer from the blueline is just a few hours from proving me wrong. And good for him.