GAME PREVIEW: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks

Edmonton Oilers (16-8-3) 1st, Pacific vs

Vancouver Canucks (12-10-4) 5th, Pacific

30 November 2019

Rogers Place

800 PM MST

TV: CBC, Sportsnet

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Nucks MIsconduct

The Oilers ended their 5 game road trip with a 3-2 record after dropping a 4-1 contest in Colorado. Jujhar Khaira had the club’s lone goal midway through the first, but a barrage of four unanswered goals came from Colorado.

The Oilers will get a chance today and tomorrow as they face the Canucks twice in two days. Can the Oilers keep building on their Pacific Division lead?

Let’s go to the tape.

THE OILERS ARE SAYING

They had lots of jump...We were on the penalty kill for [9:54], it’s tough to build that momentum.

Source

That’s Oilers forward Connor McDavid after his club’s 4-1 loss to the Avalanche on Wednesday.

The Avalache were 0/5 on the advantage, but hung an incredible 50 total shots on the Oilers. Mikko Koskinen turned side 46, just his second regulation loss of the season.

THE CANUCKS ARE SAYING

We should’ve won...There’s not much to it. Have to find a way to make a couple stops there in the third. Had a slow start. Good to get back in the game. Have to find a way to win.

Source

That’s Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko after his club’s 8-6 loss to the Penguins on Wednesday night.

The Canucks were up 4-2 at the end of forty minutes in Pittsburgh. The Penguins had themselves a six goal third period en route to a 8-6 comeback victory. That’s a wad of goals.

LINES

HAVE SOME OF THIS

• Jujhar Khaira scored Edmonton’s lone goal in their 4-1 loss to the Avalanche on Wednesday, but gets dropped down to the Riley Sheehan / Josh Archibald line. Alex Chiasson will park on a line with Sam Gagner and James Neal.
• Already out for two games, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is on the mend (and the IR) after undergoing what Mark Spector called “a procedure on his hand/wrist”. He’ll be out for at least tonight and tomorrow, here’s hoping we see 93 sooner than later.
• Matthew Benning has been activated from IR, but doesn’t look like he’ll be on the ice today.
• The Canucks score just a little bit more than the Oilers per game (3.15 GPG, ranked 12th in the league). They’re powered by a healthy mix of scoring. Elias Pettersson (11-20-31) leads the way, while J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and Bo Horvat all have 20 or more points so far this year.
• NET GAINS: Mike Smith gets the start tonight for the Oilers (7-6-1, .911 SV% / 2.66 GAA / 1 SO). For the Canucks, look for Jacob Markstrom (7-6-3, .913 SV% / 2.72 GAA).
• SICK BAY: For the Oilers, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (hand) is out for at least today and tomorrow. The Canucks are without forward Tyler Motte (upper body), while Jay Beagle, Brandon Sutter and Michael Ferland are all day-to-day.