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2021 NORTH DIVISION PLAYOFF GAME THREAD: Game 3 Edmonton Oilers @ Winnipeg Jets

As series shifts to Winnipeg, Oilers can ill afford to go down 3 games

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Winnipeg Jets at Edmonton Oilers Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Edmonton Oilers (0-2) @

Winnipeg Jets (2-0)

23 May 2021

530 PM MST

Bell MTS Place

TV: CBC, Sportsnet

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Arctic Ice Hockey

The Oilers are in deep. They’ll need a win tonight and a win tomorrow in order to head back to Edmonton with a chance at winning this series. Down 3-0 with a game tomorrow night could spell disaster for a club that’s been held to just one goal in 124 total minutes of play. Edmonton has some new lines for tonight’s contest; can they push the river early? Can they score a goal?

THREE THINGS TO LOOK FOR

  • New lines? They’re here. The line featuring RNH-McLeod-Kassian are suspect as hell. If it gets Kassian going, that’s fun, but this really looks like a full-on line jumble at this point. Leon Draisaitl with Connor and JP is OK until there’s a lot missing on lines 2-4. Can these lines drive the bus?
  • Alex Chiasson’s scratch has got to mean some extra power play minutes for Jesse Puljujarvi. Will the only Oilers’ goal scorer of this series see time on the top power play? Will the Oilers see a power play?
  • Nikolaj Ehlers is slated to be back into the lineup tonight after missing the last month due to an upper body injury. If we forget about the empty net goals in the first game, the Jets have just three goals in two games. (The Oilers, well they have one.) Will Ehlers help push that number up for Winnipeg?

The Oilers absolutely have to come out blazing in this one. They’ll be back in action tomorrow night in Winnipeg for game 4. Down 2-1 isn’t the worst place to be in the world. Down 0-3?

Let’s get at ‘er.