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Preview: Game 9 Oilers vs. Kings

Oilers look to get back into the win column after Friday night's reality check against Washington

By Jeff Chapman
Are those Snickers bars?
Are those Snickers bars?
Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports


Los Angeles

@
oilers logo black text
4-3-0, 8 points, 1.142p/g Ranks 3-5-0, 6 points, .75 p/g
Western Conference - 10th Western Conference - 11th
14th P/G 23rd
14th ST 15th
16th S/G 27th
8th Goal 23rd
7:30 PM MDT
TV - Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet One
Radio - 630 CHED
Rexall Place
The opposing view:  Jewels From The Crown

Back To Earth

Playing their third game in four nights, the Capitals thoroughly handled the Edmonton Oilers by a 7-4 margin.  The Oilers kept it close through the beginning of the second period when Connor McDavid scored a power play goal to make it 3-3, but the wheels soon fell off after.  Evgeny Kuznetsov led the Capitals with a five point night (3-2-5) and Anders Nilsson had to be replaced after yielding the sixth Capitals goal of the game.  Unfortunately for the Oilers, Cam Talbot can't score goals yet, and the Capitals left town with an easy two points.

The Oilers try to get back into the win column as they take on the Kings this evening.

Let's go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

"We're going to be a really good hockey club someday"

Source

That's Oilers coach Todd McLellan on...the future.

KEYS TO 2015-16

Keep throwing Yak out there with McDavid, try not to allow 39 shots every game and win 7-5.  Playoffs, baby.

The opponents are saying

"We're playing harder and a little more desperate...We didn't start off very hot and now we're building"    Source
That's Kings centre Anze Kopitar on LA's four game winning streak.

The Kings bumbled out of the gate (sound familiar) to an 0-3 start, scoring just two goals over that time.  Things have started to turn around for the silver and black, as they've scored eleven over their last four.  An average of 2.25 goals isn't a real barn burner, but it's miles away from one (or none).  Kings have gotten good numbers in net Jonathan Quick (.923 in 6 GP) and Jhonas Enroth has played well in one relief game.

Have some of this
  • Cam Talbot (2-3-0, .918 SV% / 2.22 GAA) gets the start for the Oilers tonight, while Jonathan Quick (3-3-0, .923 SV% / 2.16 GAA / 1 SO) is likely to go for the Kings.
  • Iiro Pakarinen will likely make his season debut for the Oilers today after sitting out against Washington.  Rob Klinkhammer scored a goal on the top line with Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, so don't be surprised if Pakarinen starts out on the fourth line with Luke Gazdic and Mark Letestu.
  • IS THE MCDAVID - YAKUPOV CONNECTION STILL A THING? Aye, it is.  Benoit Pouliot scored a beauty off the stick of Nail Yakupov halfway through the first period.  McDavid picked up a secondary assist, one of two points for him on the night.  McDavid would score his fifth goal on the season early in the second period on the power play.
  • Quick, who's leading the Kings in scoring?  Tyler Toffoli, of course.  Toffoli has six points (all goals) in seven games for the Kings, and while style points don't count, this one was one room away from the office.
  • For the Kings, former Oiler Matt Greene (upper body) and Dwight King (foot) are on the injury report and will be held out.  (Matt Hendricks (foot) Jordan Eberle (shoulder), and Griffin Reinhart (undisclosed, day-to-day) will be unavailable for Edmonton.

In This Stream

Game 9 Coverage: Oilers vs Kings - Bouncing Back

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