Edmonton Oilers (8-13-2) @

Boston Bruins (10-7-4)

TD Bank Garden, Boston MA

3 PM MDT

TV: Sportsnet (NHL Network in USA)

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Stanley Cup Of Chowder

BREAKDOWN

In unspectacular fashion, the Oilers clunked to a 3-1 loss in Buffalo on Friday night. Defenceman Yohann Auvitu kept it from being a shutout with a goal from just over the Sabres’ blue line with 18 seconds remaining in regulation time. The Oilers were without Cam Talbot and Oscar Klefbom due to the flu, but the offence was held without a goal against a Sabres club with a patchwork defence. The good news?

The good news is that the Oilers were able to leave Buffalo and they’re in Boston this afternoon to play another game of hockey. Maybe they forgot all about Friday’s game. Maybe not. Liquor helps.

Oilers can salvage a .500 .400 road trip with a victory in Boston today. Can the Oilers score some goals?

Let’s go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

We're not as productive as we need to so we're going to put Strome on the wing and put Leon back in the middle

Source

That’s Oilers head coach Todd McLellan on getting Draisaitl back down the middle. That will give you 97-93-29 down the middle, and a chance for Leon to drive the bus along with Ryan Strome and Drake Caggiula. You rolled your eyes when you read that last sentence, didn’t you? I can see you.

The Bruins are saying

He's used to playing a lot of hockey, but hasn't for a while...I guess you could say he can treat it like he's coming off an injury and hasn't played in a bit. He's been practicing, practicing well. It's his turn to go.

Source

That’s Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy on Tuukka Rask.

Rask will get his first start since Anton Khudobin’s four game win streak. Will we see any rust?

Have some of this

• No Puljujarvi. OK then. Slepyshev back in the top six with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Patrick Maroon. There’s your third line of Draisaitl, Caggiula and Strome as previously mentioned. Also, please take the time out to look at the very hybird line of 27-97-13.
• Defenceman Oscar Klefbom is expected to be back in the lineup after missing Friday’s game with the flu.
• Cam Talbot missed Friday’s game with the flu, but look for him to get back in today barring a setback (8-10-1. .901 SV% / 3.13 GAA / 1 SO). Tuukka Rask is slated to get the nod for Boston (3-7-2, .897 SV%, 2.89 GAA). Rask hasn’t started since November 15th while Anton Khudobin has been holding it down with four wins.
• The Oilers are without Andrej Sekera (ACL), but there’s rumblings that we’ll hear from him soon. Boston is without Brad Marchand (day-to-day, undisclosed), David Backes (middle body), Adam McQuaid (leg) and Ryan Spooner (undisclosed).