GAME PREVIEW: Edmonton Oilers vs. New Jersey Devils

Edmonton Oilers (10-5-2) vs

New Jersey Devils (4-6-4)

08 November 2019

Rogers Place

700 PM MST

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: All About The Jersey

I AWARD YOU NO POINTS

Connor McDavid got the party started early in this one when he scored a power play goal in the third minute of the first. The Blues would rebound with two power play goals of their own, plus one more on top for good measure. Zack Kassian would help pull the Oilers to within one goal midway through the third, but the Blues would leave Edmonton with a 5-2 win and their sixth consecutive victory.

The Oilers will host an old friend and look for two big points tonight as the New Jersey Devils are in town. Winners of just four in fourteen games, will the Devils prove to be a formidable opponent to the top-heavy Oilers?

Let’s go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

The power play was good for them. I thought their whole game was really good, they’re obviously the Cup champs...They don’t give up much, they play hard and they know what they’re doing out there.

Source

That’s Oilers captain Connor McDavid on St. Louis’ powerplay this past Wednesday.

The Blues went 2-for-3 on the power play in their win. Connor McDavid had a power play goal for the Oilers, who went 1/3.

The Devils are saying

Tonight, we didn’t play our system and game plan the way we wanted to...Probably the last seven games or so we’ve been playing very well. Tonight wasn’t a step in the right direction, so we have to right the ship a little bit.

Source

That’s Devils forward Taylor Hall on Calgary’s 5-2 victory over New Jersey last night.

The Flames scored four straight goals en route to victory over the Devils.

HAVE SOME OF THIS

• “Impressive Oilers Trio” isn’t how I had this one billed, but there’s your fourth line. Or is it third line?

• Impressive trios aside, tonight’s matchup with New Jersey is as close to a dream scenario for the Oilers. The Devils just got beat up in Calgary by a 5-2 margin. The Devils don’t score a bunch of goals (20th in the league), they’re allowing nearly four goals per game (29th in the league). This is a game that the Oilers should win, and it’s the type of game they have to win if they want to play hockey past the first week in April.
• BEACH BALL NETMINDERS: Things are not good for the goaltenders of Jersey. Mackenzie Blackwood is the more solid of two options for New Jersey, though he’s holding onto a less-than-replacement level .888 SV%. Corey Schneider’s .847 SV% would normally have him on a bus to Binghamton, but the club may have a hard time justifying sending a six million dollar man to the minors. What does it all mean? Goals, man.
• STOP IT RIGHT NOW: There’s no reason that Brandon Manning needs be in the lineup pulling 13 and a half minutes of ice time when Joel Persson is out of the lineup. Manning is perpetual seventh (read: 10th) defenceman territory. Call William Lagesson up, start something on fire. Anything, something.
• NET GAINS: I’ve got Mikko Koskinen in tonight for the Oilers (5-1-1, .917 SV% / 2.46) For the Devils, look for Corey Schneider to get the nod (0-3-1, .8.47 SV% / 4.70 GAA)
• SICK BAY: The Oilers are without Adam Larsson (fibula) and Joakim Nygard (ribs). The Devils will be without Connor Carrick (finger). Jesper Bratt (upper body) is day-to-day.