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Oilers @ Kings Game 78 Preview

Oilers' three game winning streak comes to bumbling halt in Anaheim. Tonight, they face a Kings team fighting for their playoff lives.

By Jeff Chapman
Bigmouth strikes again, and I've got no right to take my place, with the human race.
Bigmouth strikes again, and I've got no right to take my place, with the human race.
Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports


oilers logo black text

@
kings logo
23-40-13, 59 points, .766 p/g Ranks 37-25-14, 88 points, 1.158 p/g
Western Conference - 13th Western Conference - 9th
28th P/G 19th
24th ST 10th
28th ES 8th
28th Goal 7th
8:30 PM MDT - SNW
Staples Center
The opposing view: Jewels From The Crown

No Foolin'

Edmonton fell back to Earth last night after coughing up an abysmal performance against the Pacific Division champions.  Less than four minutes in, Anaheim hit the score sheet when Francois Beauchemin scored his eleventh of the season.  The Ducks would make it 4-0 before Edmonton was able to strike with a goal from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but by that point, the game was well beyond the point of retrieval.  Andrew Cogliano scored his fifteenth goal of the year on a penalty shot, and the Anaheim Ducks disposed of the Oilers in tidy fashion by the score of 5-1.

The Oilers face off against the Kings twice in the next week.  Let's see who's saying what.

The Oilers are saying

"I thought we got off to a pretty good start, we had some good zone time then all of a sudden we have a bad line change and they have an odd-man rush and they capitalize.  That's a tribute to them."

That's Oilers interim head coach Todd Nelson on that line change.

Go and watch that...that line change.  A real bag of ugly.  That's some serious video game stuff there.  They were a good second away from a three on zero.  I need to watch something to blot all that out.   Get me Taylor Chorney on the line.

The opponents are saying

"You have to win games.  You have to win out.  You don't lose in.  You win in, in this league, especially they way the divisions are set up."

Chicago did some damage to LA's playoff hopes in a 4-1 drubbing on Monday.  With 88 points, they're two points away from Winnipeg and the final wild card spot.  The Kings would like to get at least four wins in their last six.  Good thing they play the Oilers twice in the next week.

Have some of this
  • That line change.
  • Ben Scrivens (15-24-10, .894 SV% / 3.03 GAA) didn't have a memorable night last night against the Ducks.  With Tyler Bunz as Edmonton's only other option at this time, Scrivens has to get the call.  Look for Jonathan Quick (33-21-10, .916 SV% / 2.30 GAA) to start for the Kings.
  • Matt Hendricks has been nominated for the Masterton Trophy, which is the award given annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game.  He should get a nomination if for no other reason then he centred a disastrous fourth line on more than one occasion.
  • UPDATE

Buffalo doing their damndest to make this thing a thing.

  • GOILERS