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Penguins @ Oilers Game 52 Preview

Oilers face off against familiar faces in David Perron, Mark Arcobello

By Jeff Chapman
Bet you he's having fun.
Bet you he's having fun.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports


penguins
nh.

@
Edmonton
28-14-8, 64 points, 1.28 p/g Ranks 14-28-9, 41 points, .723 p/g
Eastern Conference - 5th Western Conference -14th
9th P/G 29th
6th ST 25th
13th ES 27th
9th Goal 28th
6 PM MDT - SN
Rexall Place
The opposing view: Pensburgh

A Few Familiar Faces Are Back In Town

Edmonton took the San Jose Sharks to thirteen rounds of the shootout and emerged victorious? Well, kind of, yeah, that's exactly what happened on Sunday night in San Jose.  Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored in the fifth round in order to keep it going, while Rob Klinkhammer (!) scored in the thirteenth round to give the Oilers a W in a wild 5-4 finish. This game saw the Oilers give up three goals in the third period, and they somehow found a way to emerge on the other side victorious.  Jordan Eberle had a pair of goals for the Oilers, while Justin Schultz was able to help tie it up at four-all after the Oilers surrendered a 3-1 lead.  Derek Roy scored his fifth of the season in the middle frame.

The Oilers are saying

With Taylor Hall and Benoit Pouliot out tonight, Iiro Pakarinen gets a shot with RNH and Jordan Eberle.  I can get behind this.  Pakarinen's doing nicely in OKC with 28 points (17-11-28) in 39 games, and tonight he'll play the role of 1LW.  Pakarinen has appeared in five games with the Oilers this year, scoring one goal against the Sabres in November.

The Opponent is saying

"Geno will play tonight.  He looked good (Tuesday) in practice and went out again this morning.  He was cleared, took some contact yesterday in practice.  So he's fine"

The Penguins have weapons.  Evgeni Malkin is a considerable one.  Malkin has 52 points in 49 games for the Penguins this year (19-33-52), but he's been out for the last four games due to a groin injury.  He's coming back to play against the worst team in the Western Conference, a team that allows the third most goals per game on average. To say the Oilers will have their work cut out for them in defending this player (and the rest of the team, for that matter) is likely the understatement of the week.

Have some of this
  • David Perron and Mark Arcobello will visit Rexall Place sporting the colours of the enemy. I'm sure they have many, many favourable moments as members of the Edmonton Oilers.  Like...when they got the call that exiled them from Edmonton.  Perron has nine points (6-3-9) in twelve games for Pittsburgh.
  • FASTH SUITS UP ONCE AGAIN - Viktor Fasth will again start for the Oilers.  Hope he's doubled up on lucky pregame rituals.  Fasth (5-11-2, .891 SV% / 3.31 GAA) turned aside a boatload of rubber for Edmonton against the Sharks, and went 11/13 in the shootout.  Not too shabby.  Marc-Andre Fleury 23-11-5, .919 SV% / 2.36) is having a pretty good season for the Penguins so far, and he'll get the green light for the Penguins tonight.
  • Andrew Ference is on the first pair tonight.  These times, they really don't get any better.  When you've got Andrew Ference on your top pair AND Keith Aulie in your lineup, AND Justin Schultz, you've really struck the lottery hard.
  • DON'T HASSLE THE HOFF - How much is Christian Ehrhoff going to make this offseason?  Ehrhoff signed a one year 4M 'prove me' contract with the Penguins after getting seven years of his last deal bought out by Buffalo.  If he gets to July 1st without a deal, pick up the phone and offer him a wad of cash and a fast car for the next three years.  Over the top.  Let's go.   Jeff Petry's going to get traded for a pillar of salt and some rubber bands.  Can someone confuse Christian Ehrhoff into coming to Edmonton?
  • GOILERS

In This Stream

Oilers vs. Penguins Gameday

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