The opposing view

PROJECTED LINES

FORWARDS

Milan Lucic - Connor McDavid - Drake Caggiula

Patrick Maroon - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Jordan Eberle

Benoit Pouliot - Leon Draisaitl - Jesse Puljujarvi

Matt Hendricks - Mark Letestu - Zack Kassian

DEFENCE

GOAL

Thirty Seconds To Glory

Edmonton was thirty seconds away from leaving Buffalo with a 3-2 victory and a couple of points, but it didn't quite end as expected.

Oilers snoozed through the first period amassing just five shots on goal.  Buffalo capitalized with two goals, one from Evander Kane and another from Brian Gionta.  Oiler fared far better in the second period when Jordan Eberle scored a power play goal among mass confusion in front of Sabres goalie Anders Nilsson.  Milan Lucic would make it 2-all just ninety seconds after Eberle, and things looked much better after forty minutes.

Oilers would gain the lead on a pretty goal from Leon Draisaitl midway through the third, and that's how things looked like they'd remain, at least until the last minute of play.  The Sabres pulled Nilsson, the Oilers had some questionable players on the ice, and Evander Kane would score off a rebound to make it 3-3 with less than thirty seconds remaining.  Adam Larsson would take a penalty after that, and Rasmus Ristolainen would score his first goal of the season in OT to give the Sabres a 4-3 come from behind victory in OT.

Getting a point is better than no surprise at all, but the Oilers really let  one get out from under them on Tuesday night.  They'll face off against a red-hot Flyers squad who are winners of their last six in a row.

Let's go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

"We'll get a guy recalled and one of those guys will play tomorrow.  We just have to make a decision based on shot and need.  But we feel good about Simmer.  He's put himself on the map.  If he's in, great.  If he's not, he'll get a chance eventually."

Source

That's Flyers forward Jakub Voracek on his team's 3-2 OT victory over Florida on Tuesday night.

Six victories in a row for the Flyers, while Steve Mason has been in net for the last five.  It's a personal best for Steve Mason, and the Flyers are now holding on to the second wild card spot in the East

INJURY UPDATE: Darnell Nurse will be out until after the new year.  Paging Brandon Davidson.  .

LINE SWITCH - Looks like Drake Caggiula will be alongside Connor McDavid today, which  happened for a bit on Tuesday.  Pouliot back in, Hendricks stays in as well.

Connor McDavid's two points on Tuesday give him 36 on the year in 28 games, which makes a 100 point season still very much a thing.  You gotta make the playoffs if your teen phenom scores 100 points on an entry level deal, right?

Jonas Gustavsson goes tonight for the Oilers (1-1-1, .923 SV% / 2.00 GAA /) while Steve Mason is likely to try and keep the good times rolling for Philadelphia (10-8-3, .908 SV% / 2.71 GAA) . Gustavsson's seeing two games in three contests.

Oilers could use two points something fierce tonight. They're first in the Pacific (yay!) with 32 points, but the Sharks lurk closely with 31 and a couple games in hand.  The Ducks are right next to San Jose, and...who the hell let Calgary in here?

Iiro Pakarinen (knee), Mark Fayne (groin), Darnell Nurse (lower body), Eric Gryba (undisclosed) and Brandon Davidson (upper body) will be out for the Oilers. Philadelphia is without forwards Matt Read (abdomen), Sean Couturier (lower body) and goaltender Michal Neuvirth (lower body)

#GOILERS