GAME THREAD: Edmonton Oilers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Edmonton Oilers (16-10-0), 3rd, Pacific

Toronto Maple Leafs (19-8-2), 2nd, Atlantic

14 December 2021

Rogers Place

7 PM MT

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Pension Plan Puppets

The Oilers are looking to put the brakes on a five game winless streak as the Toronto Maple Leafs are in town. Glen Gulutzan is your head coach tonight as Dave Tippett will miss the game due to a close Covid contact, while Ryan McLeod has been placed on the Covid list. Can the Oilers emerge with two points tonight?

THREE THINGS TO LOOK FOR

• Glen Gulutzan will be the bench boss tonight for the Oilers. Dave Tippett is out as a precautionary measure due to a close Covid contact. I’m interested to see how (or if) Gulutzan does anything materially different than Tippett, like, say, f’risntance, maybe he starts his best line at the beginning of the game instead of putting the third line to start.
• Warren Foegele gets top billing tonight as Zach Hyman is out. Hyman will miss tonight’s game against his old club as he recovers from a shoulder injury he sustained in Saturday’s loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Foegele can use a goal, he’s got just two on the year so far.
• Duncan Keith is back with Cody Ceci on the second pair. Keith had been out of the lineup since November 23rd with an upper body injury. Will this pair be able to handle the Leafs’ attack?

Just win one game for now. We’ll worry about the other games after this one.