clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Preview: Game 64 Oilers vs. Islanders

Oilers look to put a halt to seven game slide

By Jeff Chapman
Fourth line is no place for a Yakupov
Fourth line is no place for a Yakupov
Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports


islanders logo

@
Edmonton
33-19-7, 73 points, 1.237 p/g Ranks 22-34-7, 51 points,  .810 p/g
Metropolitan Division - 3rd Pacific Division - 7th
7th P/G 30th
7th ST 18th
11th S/G 24th
9th Goal 28th
7:30 MDT
TV - Sportsnet One
Radio - 630 CHED
Rexall Place
The opposing view:  Lighthouse Hockey

One More Time

The Oilers were able to cobble a point out of the Ducks, but were again held to just one goal.  The Oilers and Ducks were scoreless after two periods when Ryan Getzlaf scored a PPG for the Ducks early in the first minute.  Jordan Eberle responded a minute later with his 20th goal of the season.  Hold onto that 1-1 tie until overtime, when Rickard Rakell had sweet nothing between him and Cam Talbot.  Rakell would bury the pill behind Talbot en route to a 2-1 OT victory for the Ducks.

Eighteen shots got the Oilers into OT.  Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to take two points out of Anaheim.

The Oilers will face off against an Islanders club who hung an eight spot against the Oilers three weeks ago.  Can Edmonton put a bandage on their seven game losing streak?

The Oilers are saying

"This is the first time in 10 years that I have been a seller and it's a little disappointing that way.  But we had some housekeeping items to do, and I say that, with all due respect to these guys, but there were expiring contracts and we had to move forward without them and we have to move along."

Source

That's Oilers head coach Todd McLellan on being a seller for the first time at the trade deadline.

SHIFT TO THE LEFT

I thought the Oilers might be able to scrap more than a third round pick for Teddy Purcell, but that's about right for Justin Schultz.  Also, the holding of the money thing, that sounds about right as well.

The opponents are saying

"There's a good chance Ryan (Pulock) will play tomorrow."   Source

That's Islanders head coach Jack Capuano on rookie defenceman Ryan Pulock.  Pulock is expected to make his NHL debut this evening.  The 6'2" 215 pound Pulock has 24 points (7-17-24) in 51 games with Bridgeport  in the AHL.

Have some of this
  • Trade Schultz for a third rounder, trade Purcell for a third rounder, keep putting Nail Yakupov on the fourth line.  K.
  • Jordan Eberle's goal against the Ducks gives him 20 goals on the year.  That ties him with Taylor Hall for team lead.  Eberle is third on the team with 37 points, one ahead of Benoit Pouliot.
  • Isles are first in the league in penalty kill (87.3%).   That's not a good number for an Oilers club who has been struggling on the power play (17.4%, 23rd overall).
  • With Anders Nilsson getting dealt to St. Louis, Laurent Brossoit is back up behind Cam Talbot.  Talbot will start tonight (12-22-4, .912 SV% / 2.69 GAA / 1 SO) while Jaroslav Halak (16-12-4 / .920 SV% / 3 SO) will start his fourth straight.
  • STRAIGHT FROM THE NUGE'S MOUTH - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is "week to week".  Maybe we'll see him before April.
  • Andrew Ference (hip), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (hand), Eric Gryba (knee)  and Oscar Klefbom (leg), are out for the Oilers, The Islanders will be without Mikhail Grabovski (upper body), Eric Boulton (upper body) and defencemen Calvin de Haan (lower body) and Adam Pelech (upper body).

    • More From The Copper & Blue