Game Thread: Oilers at Washington - Starting an Eastern Conference Road Trip

As the Oilers embark on the second quarter of the season, they do so with a five game road trips through the Easter Conference, starting tonight with a visit to the Washington Capitals. Five games away from the Western Conference, if there is going to be a stretch this season where the Oilers once again make a few people believe that they’re better than their record would indicate, this is that stretch. Washington, Carolina, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Toronto, can the Oilers win three of those five? If they do I’ll be a little more likely to start believing again.

How To Watch

Puck drop: 5:00PM MST
TV: Sportsnet West
Radio: 630 CHED

What To Watch For

The Oilers appear to be hoping for a repeat performance and are sticking with largely the same lineup that beat the Devils by a score of 5-1 Friday night. Luke Gazdic has been activated from the injured reserve and will replace Anton Lander who gets a night off after going 0-0-0 and -8 through the first 20 games of the season. I’ve got nothing nice to say about Gazdic as a player, but even I think it was about time that Lander got a chance to watch from the press box. And on the blue line a non-sick Andrej Sekera draws back into the lineup; Griffin Reinhart will sit out tonight to make room.

The Opposing View

From Japers' Rink:

Nineteen games into the 2015-16 the Washington Capitals find themselves in second place in the Metropolitan Division, five points back of the New York Rangers and three points up on the Pittsburgh Penguins (with a game in hand on each). They're about as comfortably in playoff position as a team can be before Thanksgiving, and it's not by accident - this Caps team is off to a strong start with underlying numbers that support the win total they've amassed and show no obvious significant weaknesses.

Projected Line Combinations