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Preview: Game 37 Oilers @ Flames

Oilers leave Vancouver with a point, will shoot for two at the Dome

By Jeff Chapman
Karri Ramo will start for Calgary tonight.
Karri Ramo will start for Calgary tonight.
Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports


Edmonton

@
Calgary
15-18-3, 33 points, .916 p/g Ranks 16-16-2, 34 points, 1 p/g
Pacific Division - 6th Pacific Division - 5th
28th P/G 22nd
19th ST 30th
18th S/G 21st
26th Goal 30th
7 PM MDT
TV - Sportsnet
Radio - 630 CHED
Scotiabank Saddledome
The opposing view: Matchsticks and Gasoline

Two Become One

Jannik Hansen scored all of Vancouver's goals to give the Canucks a 2-1 victory over the Oilers in overtime.  Mark Letestu got Edmonton on the board with eight minutes remaining in the first period on a wrist shot that beat Vancouver goaltender Jacob Markstrom.  Jannik Hansen scored early in the second period to knot it at 1-all, and that would be all the scoring in the game until overtime.  The Oilers came very close to capturing two points in OT when a scramble occurred in front of Jacob Markstrom midway through the extra frame, but a Jannik Hansen slap shot found its way under Cam Talbot's blocker en route to a Vancouver victory.

The Oilers earned a point for taking the game to OT, but the team they were chasing gained two.  The Oilers three points ahead of seventh place Anaheim, though Edmonton has played three more games.  The Oilers badly need two points in Calgary tonight.

The Oilers are saying

We're a better team than how we're playing right now," coach Todd McLellan told the Oilers website. "Our power play let us down when we needed a goal from them

"We're a better team than how we're playing right now...Our power play let us down when we needed a goal from them."

Source

That's Oilers head coach Todd McLellen on the state of his team's power play.

The Oilers haven't been very good on the power play as of late, going 1 for their last 16.  They'll face off against a Flames team who is last in the league on the penalty kill (73.1%).

The opponents are saying

"We deserve it.  We were very opportunistic at the right time."

Source
That's Flames head coach Bob Hartley on his team's chance at eleven straight home victories.

Though just fifth in the Pacific, the Flames have won ten straight dating back to the end of October.

Have some of this

  • Probably not.  Here's who had PP time among the defencemen last night:  Schultz 3:53, Sekera 2:00, Nurse, :56, Fayne :15, Nikitin 0, Gryba 0.
  • PACIFIC WATCH - Oilers take a point from Vancouver, but the Canucks take two.  San Jose sits in the third spot in the Pacific division, three points ahead of the Oilers.  Only 45 more games to go.
  • Not only are the Flames are last in the league in PK (73.1%).  They're last in GAA (3.29), they're last on the power play (11.7%).  Score some damn goals, Oilers.
  • Anders Nilsson (10-9-1, .910 SV% / 2.79 GAA) should get the start tonight for the Oilers.  Karri Ramo (12-10-1, .907 SV% / 2.74 GAA) will get the start for Calgary.
  • Connor McDavid (clavicle), Andrew Ference (undisclosed),  Nail Yakupov (ankle), Oscar Klefbom (hand),  Rob Klinkhammer (ankle) and Brandon Davidson (ribs) are out for the Oilers. For Calgary, Michael Frolik (upper body) will be out.