Columbus Blue Jackets (42-29-5), (3rd, Metro)

Edmonton Oilers (34-36-6) (6th, Pacific)

7 PM MT

Rogers Place

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: The Cannon

BREAKDOWN:

There’s some fairly exciting hockey as of late. If you don’t mind hockey in garbage time, it’s been a pretty good little run for the Oilers. They’re 1-0-1 on their current homestand, they can close it out with 5 points out of 6 with a win tonight.

Oh, and Connor McDavid is one point away from the century mark with six games remaining.,.

Let’s go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

“I thought their big boys really picked their play up in the third, and I thought we ran out of gas,... We’ve played a lot of hockey. I think we’ve played three sets of back-to-backs in less two weeks and a little bit of travel, and I think it’s catching up and we’re a tired team not only physically, but a little bit mentally”

Source

That’s Oilers head coach Todd McLellan on Edmonton’s 5-4 OT loss to the Ducks.

The Oilers had a 3-1 lead entering the third period, but two goals by Adam Henrique and another from Corey Perry would help push the game to OT. Hampus LIndholm would end it less than 90 seconds in OT.

The Blue Jackets are saying:

You’ve got to give them credit for their checking in the third. We had enough chances.” “We just couldn’t beat [goalie Jake Allen]..”

Source

That’s Jackets coach John Tortorella after his club’s 2-1 loss to the Blues on Saturday night.

Allen had 33 saves for the Blues. The loss was Columbus’ first in eleven games.

Have some of this

• Zack Kassian will play his first game since March 17th. I’ve seen his injury called a ‘shoulder issue’, you’d think the team would be more eager to get that sort of info out after it looked like Kassian smashed his forehead.
• Connor McDavid is exactly one point away from his second consecutive 100 point season. If it comes tonight, the club should stop the game and release balloons on the ice.
• FANS, INC - Tonight is fan appreciation night at Rogers Place. There are a few things that the Oilers could do to enhance the experience, but what’s the best idea? Beer coupons? Hot Dog Tee Shirt Cannon? Glamour Shots with Zack Kassian?
• CONGRATS to Ethan Bear for scoring his first career goal against Anaheim. A power play goal? This should earn him at least as much power play time as Ryan Strome or Milan Lucic average per game.
• SPEAKING OF LOOCH - One goal in his last 40 games. Five more years!
• NUMBERS, ETC: The Jackets are tied for 22nd overall in goals per game (2.75), they’re 9th overall with 2.68 goals allowed per game. Only Edmonton’s power play percentage is worse than Columbus’ (15.3%), while their PK clocks in at 25th overall at 77.7%.
• Expect Cam Talbot to start tonight for the Oilers. (29-27-2, .909 SV%, 2.98 GAA). Sergei Bobrovsky (34-22-5, .922 SV% / 2.37 GAA / 5 SO) has been holding it down for the Jackets all season and is likely to start tonight.
• SICK BAY: Mike Cammalleri and Al Montoya (undisclosed) are day-to-day. Oscar Klefbom (shoulder) is out for the season. For the Jackets, Nick Foligno (lower body) is day-to-day. Lukas Sedlad (head) is out indefinitely, and Josh Anderson (knee) is day-to-day.