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Preview: Game 20 Oilers vs. Devils

Oilers need to take two points tonight from visiting Devils

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Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports


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10-7-1, 21 points, 1.167 p/g Ranks 6-12-1, 13 points, .667 p/g
Eastern Conference - 7th Western Conference - 14th
13th P/G 30th
6th ST 17th
30th S/G 21st
9th Goal 28th
7:00 PM MDT
TV - Sportsnet Oilers
Radio - 630 CHED
Rexall Place
The opposing view: In Lou We Trust All About The Jersey

The Best Of Times

The Oilers should have taken two points against the Blackhawks on Wednesday, but you know how that goes.The Oilers outshot Chicago by a margin or 37-27, but Chicago's Artemi Panarin had three points (1-2-3) including an assist on the game winner in OT as the Blackhawks skated out of Edmonton with two points.  Jordan Eberle, Benoit Pouliot and Leon Draisaitl each scored for the Oilers.  The Oilers earned a point with a shootout loss, but are desperate for two point games.  Tonight, they take on a Devils team that's surprised out of the gate.

Let's go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

We started really well," said Oilers winger Jordan Eberle. "I don’t know what the shots were in the first, but we definitely outplayed them

"We started really well...I don't know what the shots were in the first, but we definitely outplayed them."

Source

That's Oilers forward Jordan Eberle on Edmonton's first period against the Blackhawks.

The Oilers outshot the Blackhawks 11-3 (!) in the first period, but yielded the first two goals in the second period.  The Oilers controlled the puck in front of Hawks goalie Corey Crawford, but weren't able to notch one until the sixteen minute mark of the second.

The opponents are saying

"(Devils coach John) Hynes would get my vote right now.  I can't think of a coach who has done more with less in the first quarter of the season than Hynes.

Source

That's NHL.com columnist Dan Rosen on New Jersey head coach John Hynes.

The Devils have marched out to a 10-7-1 mark to begin their season, which is about 7 more wins than most folks had them penciled in for.

Have some of this
  • Travis Hamonic, Travis Hamonic, Travis Hamonic.  Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice
  • NEON LEON SHINES AGAIN - Leon Draisaitl gets another goal in Edmonton's 4-3 OT loss to the Blackhawks.  Draisaitl has 14 points (6-8-14) in nine games this season.  Keep on doing it.
  • Anders Nilsson (3-4-1, .897 SV% / 3.31 GAA) will get the start for Edmonton, while Keith Kinkaid (1-2-0, .893 SV% / 2.69 GAA) gets the nod for New Jersey.  Nilsson has some experience with New Jersey while he was a member of the Islanders last year.
  • For the Oilers, Connor McDavid (clavicle), Andrew Ference (flu), Justin Schultz (back), Luke Gazdic (undisclosed), and Rob Klinkhammer (lower body) will be out tonight. The Devils are without Patrik Elias (knee), Tuomo Ruutu (foot), Stefan Matteau (flu), and Mike Cammalleri (sickness) for tonight's contest.