GAME PREVIEW: Edmonton Oilers vs. Arizona Coyotes

Edmonton Oilers (21-20-3) (6th, Pacific)

Arizona Coyotes (19-21-3) (7th, Pacific)

8 PM MST

Rogers Place

TV: Sportsnet

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Five For Howling

THE OILERS took two points in a Thursday night affiar with the Florida Panthers. Save for some last-minute heroics by Connor McDavid, it might have been a zero point affair.

This goal was Connor McDavid’s second goal of the game. It brought the Oilers to a 3-3 tie with eight seconds remaining in regulation. Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would score in the shootout to earn the extra point. The Oilers are victorious, and they keep pace in the wild card race.

The Oilers have really got to beat the Arizona Coyotes today. An Oiler win coupled with a regulation Minnesota loss in Detroit would give Edmonton a tie for the second wild card berth. Can the Oilers topple Arizona?

Let’s go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying.

“I think it had some sort of rubber magnet...That’s the most times I’ve been hit in the head in one game...But as long as they stay out of the net, that’s all that matters.”

Source

That’s Oilers goaltender Cam -Talbot on getting hit in the mask three times against the Panthers on Thursday night.

Three of those saves (and a post in the shootout) helped push Talbot and the rest of the Oilers to the win. Talbot turned aside 27 of 30 in the first sixty-five minutes of play en route to picking up his ninth win of the season.

The Coyotes are saying

With the injuries and guys banged up, it was one of those games we just needed that little inch from everybody and we got a little inch from everybody

Source

That’s Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet after his club’s 4-3 OT win over Vancouver on Thursday night.

How many regulars are the Coyotes missing? If we’re not counting goaltenders, that number is five. It’s six with a starting goaltender on the shelf.

HAVE SOME OF THIS

• The Coyotes are a team that the Oilers need to beat. They’re riddled with injuries and they can’t score goals. They’re 29th overall in goals scored on the year, and they’re 24th overall in power play success. That’s not a lot of goals. Three goals could get this done tonight, two might be good as well. Let’s go.
• Leon Draisaitl has been nominated to the All-Star Game as one of the Last Men In. The All-Star Game takes place on Saturday, January 26th in San Jose.
• Darnell Nurse played nearly 32 minutes (!) last game against Florida. Adam Larsson played less than 17. It’s something worth keeping an eye on for today’s game.
• NET GAINS: Cam Talbot picked up the W against Florida on Thursday, it’s my guess that he’ll go tonight for the Oilers (9-12-2, .896 SV% / 3.18 GAA / 1 SO). The Coyotes are likely to counter with Darcy Kuemper (7-11-3, .914 SV% / 2.70 GAA / 1 SO).
• SICK BAY: The Oilers are without Alex Petrovic (concussion protocol), Kailer Yamamoto (upper body), Andrej Sekera (LTIR) and Oscar Klefbom (finger). Arizona will be without forwards Brad Richardson (upper body), Michael Grabner (eye) and defenceman Jason Demers (knee). Goaltender Antti Raanta (lower body) is also out.