GAME THREAD: Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Edmonton Oilers (15-5-0), 2nd, Pacific

Pittsburgh Penguins (10-7-5), 4th, Metro

01 December 2021

Rogers Place

8 PM MT

TV: Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet 1

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Pensburgh

The Oilers are forced to juggle their defence corps one more time as Cody Ceci has enterred the league’s Covid protocol. The Oilers will have their hands full as Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are in town. Can the Oilers get the balance right and take two points at home?

THREE THINGS TO LOOK FOR

• Markus Niemeläinen will make his NHL debut tonight as Cody Ceci is in Covid protocol. May fortune smile upon thee. It will be very interesting to see how Coach Tippett deploys his defence pairings tonight, especially with Broberg on the opposite side of Niemeläinen.
• Mikko Koskinen gets an opportunity to pick up his twelfth win of the season after picking up his eleventh in style. Koskinen turned aside 36 shots against Vegas on Saturday, can he turn in an equally impressive performance tonight?
• The fourth line just might be the right mix, finally. They’ve shown better in games where Sceviour is in and Turris is out. That’s the case tonight, let’s see what comes of it.

The Oilers are a point behind the idle Flames, though Calgary has played two more games than the Oilers. A win tonight gives them sole posession of the number one spot in the Pacific.