Benoit Pouliot - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Zack Kassian
Patrick Maroon - Leon Draisaitl - Jesse Puljujärvi
Tyler Pitlick - Mark Letestu - Anton Lander
DEFENCE
Oscar Klefbom - Adam Larsson
Andrej Sekera - Kris Russell
Darnell Nurse - Eric Gryba
GOAL
Cam Talbot
Jonas Gustavsson
TWO IN A ROW
Two wins to open the season? It didn't take until November to get them? Sign me right up.
The Oilers are now 2-0 on the season after taking out the trash on Friday by the score of 5-3. Connor McDavid had another three point night (1-2-3) while Leon Draisaitl had a goal, and assist and an empty netter to help propel the Oilers to their second straight victory over the Calgary Flames. There's some things to like on this year's squad after two games (even other than Connor McDavid), but after two games, there's a few kinks that need to be worked out.
The Sabres stop in Edmonton without several of their key players. A win today would set the Oilers up with three straight wins to open the season, a mark that would take seven games in 2015-16 to hit.
The Oilers are saying
Offensively, we've been good, I know we're generating a lot of chances. We've still got to tighten up defensively though. We gave up a lot of shots last night, especially in the first period. We did a good job in making some adjustments and got back to our game, so that's a good sign, but we still need to tighten it up.
The Oilers allowed two dozen shots in just one period on Friday night. That's not gonna work in the long run. Calgary amassed just eleven over the final two frames, but that first period could have easily been a four goal period for the Flames
The opponents are saying
"Obviously my ankle doesn't feel too good but I think the worst part is definitely (mental)...You want to be out there with your teammates so badly and you miss it, you miss going on the road with the guys...That's probably the hardest part for me." Source
That's Sabres star forward Jack Eichel on having to miss time with a high ankle sprain. Eichel injured his sprain on the eve of the new season while working on the power play in practice. Sabres' GM Tim Murray suggests that Eichel could miss six to eight weeks.
The Sabres have been hit hard by injuries as of late. Both Jack Eichel and Evander Kane will be missing from the lineup.
Have some of this
MCDREAMY: Two games into the season, Connor McDavid is tied for the league lead in points scored with six (3-3-6). There's a fair chance he can pad those numbers a little tonight facing a Sabres club that's missing several key players.
OK: Kyle Okposo missed Buffalo's season opener while he recovered from a blocked shot. He will likely make his Sabres debut in Edmonton this afternoon. Okposo finished last season on Long Island with 64 points (22-42-64) in 79 games before signing a deal through 2023 on July 1st with Buffalo.
LARSSON: Adam Larsson took another maintenance day yesterday. He can take as many maintenance days as he wants, but two maintenance days after two games played makes me twitchy. The Oilers are going to need healthy Adam Larsson, like they're going to need healthy Oscar Klefbom. And healthy Brandon Davidson. And healthy Connor McDavid. And healthy Cam Talbot.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Tip of the hat to Mark Letestu for scoring a shorthanded goal on Friday against the Flames. Everybody's gonna have a great time if the club scores more shorthanded goals then they allow.
Cam Talbot (2-0-0, .908 SV% / 3.51 GAA) will likely start for the Oilers tonight. Buffalo will likely counter with Robin Lehner (0-1-0, .833 SV% / 4.14 GAA).
Iiro Pakarinen (knee), Drake Caggiula (hip), Brandon Davidson (upper body) and Matt Hendricks (lower body) will not dress for the Oilers tonight. Buffalo will be without Jack Eichel (ankle), Evander Kane (ribs). Dmitry Kulikov will make his season debut tonight for the Sabres.
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