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Game Thread: Oilers @ Wild - Dubnyked 2.0?

The Oilers come off a two day break to take on the Wild for the second time in five days.

By Curtis LeBlanc
Steve Alkok-USA TODAY Sports

The Oilers are in Minnesota to face the Wild for the second time in five days. When the teams played in Edmonton on Friday, ex-Oiler Devan Dubynk pitched a shutout and the home team managed a meagre 15 shots on net.

The Oilers followed that blunder up with a decent effort that resulted in a 2-1 loss to the best one-goal-game team in the league, the Anaheim Ducks.

How to Tune in

The puck drops at 6:00 PM MT on Sportsnet Oilers.

What to Watch for From the Oilers

With 21 games remaining in their 2014-2015 season, the Oilers are five points up on the Buffalo Sabres, who have one game in hand. The merits of finishing last in the year of McEichel are clear: 1) you get the best shot (20.00%) at generational talent Connor McDavid, and 2) if another team wins the lottery, you're guaranteed the best consolation prize since Evgeni Malkin in Boston University standout Jack Eichel.

I don't care at all for losing. I think the Edmonton Oilers franchise is pathetic. But something in my upbringing has tied me to them inextricably, and there's not a thing I can do. If this season is going to be a write off—which it already is—then I want one of those two picks.

More from our team sites

Minnesota Wild

More from our team sites

Minnesota Wild blog Hockey Wilderness

What to Watch for From the Wild

Our friends over at Hockey Wilderness are predicting that the Oilers will once again be #Dubnyked.

Minnesota has won both meetings this year and have dominated the series against Edmonton. Minnesota's 24 victories at Xcel Energy Center and 45 wins overall against Edmonton are the most against any franchise. Devan Dubnyk gets another crack at his former team and has been damn near perfect against them. Dubnyk has a perfect 5-0-0 record stopping 128-of-132 shots faced for a 0.79 GAA and a .970 SV% in five career starts. Tonight is the 6th start for Doobie against Edmonton this season. Dubnyk will be opposed by Ben Scrivens who is a miserable; 0-3-0 with a 3.67GAA and a .867 SV% in three starts against the Wild.

Final Thought