clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Bruins @ Oilers Game 59 Preview

Ben Scrivens is back for the Oilers, will Malcom Subban be making his NHL debut for the Bruins?

By Jeff Chapman
Will Malcolm Subban make his NHL debut tonight?
Will Malcolm Subban make his NHL debut tonight?
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports


bruins jersey

@
oilers logo black text
28-20-8, 64 points, 1.142 p/g Ranks 16-32-10, 42 points, .724 p/g
Eastern Conference - 8th Western Conference - 14th
15th P/G 29th
13th ST 26th
14th ES 28th
9th Goal 29th
8PM MST - SN
Rexall Place
The opposing view: Stanley Cup of Chowder

Lucky To Find A Point In It All

The Oilers were lucky to take Winnipeg to OT on Monday night, as the Jets were all over Edmonton for the majority of the game.  Even more dumbfounding is the fact that the Oilers actually had the lead on three consecutive occasions during the course of this one.  The Jets pasted 46 shots on Viktor Fasth, who would end up leaving during the shootout after injuring his knee trying to defend Blake Wheeler's attack.  Winnipeg earned their sixty-ninth and seventieth points with the victory, Nail Yakupov had a couple of goals, which is encouraging.

If Nail Yakupov gets his groove back this season, then it makes losing Jeff Petry and missing the playoffs for the seventeen hundredth time in a row a little easier to swallow.

The Oilers are saying

"He's playing pretty confident right now...I think he's simplifying his game, he's keeping things simple, and when he's got an opportunity to shoot the puck, he is"

That's Oilers interim head coach Todd Nelson on Nail Yakupov during today's media sesh.

Let's hope it's not just a streak.  Six points (2G-4A) for Nail Yakupov over his past five games.  I don't think anyone expects Yakupov to score at a point a game from here on out, but it'd be pretty cool if he did.  Yakupov seems to be meshing with linemate Derek Roy pretty well, so let's see how long that remains a thing.  Unlike a twelve game losing streak, this is a streak I think we'd all like to see continue.

The Opponent is saying

"He's going to play on this trip at some point.  Where he's going to play, we haven't decided that yet."

Claude Julien said that Subban is expected to play 'at some point' on Boston's road trip, and while the Bruins aren't quite done with the roadie after tonight, their next two teams are St. Louis and Chicago.  Not sure if you're going to release the hounds on your goalie prospect against those clubs.  Should Boston debut Malcolm Subban against the Oilers, it will no doubt start a tinderbox of trade speculation.  If Malcolm Subban  comes in and blows the doors off of the joint stopping 16 shots en route to a shutout, get ready.  Bruins backup goalie Niklas Svedberg has been sent to Providence (AHL) on a conditioning stint.  Let the inane trade talks commence.

Have some of this
  • VIKTOR FASTH IS OUT - Fasth suffered a knee injury after getting beat on the shootout by Winnipeg's Blake Wheeler.  Ben Scrivens (10-17-7, .895 SV%, 2.99 GAA) returns from a hamstring injury tonight.
  • OIL OUT - Rob Klinkhammer will return to the team tonight, but will not be in the lineup.  Boyd Gordon and Matt Hendricks are likely back. Martin Marincin is back, Keith Aulie is out, and Luke Gazdic will be also be scratched.
  • EIGHTH IS..GREAT? Still not counting out the Panthers as spoilers in the Eastern Conference. Boston's got Edmonton tonight,  but they'll face taller drinks of water in St. Louis, Chicago and Vancouver.  Just two points behind the Bruins, Florida is on the road for Montreal, Ottawa, and Pittsburgh before a home-and-home against Chicago.  Urp.
  • GOILERS