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GAME THREAD: Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Oilers look to close homestand out at .500 with a win over Penguins

By Jeff Chapman
/ new
NHL: OCT 17 Penguins at Canadiens Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Edmonton Oilers (2-3-0)

Pittsburgh Penguins (2-0-0)

22 Oct 2022

Rogers Place

6 PM MT

TV: SN1, SNE, SNW

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Pensburgh

The Oilers failed to score a goal in their shutout loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. They’ll need a strong start if they’re going to take care of the Pittsburgh Penguins at home. Tonight is the sixth (and final) game of the Oilers’ season opening homestand before they head out on the road for three games. The Penguins come in with nine points out of a possible ten. Can the Oilers send Pittsburgh to their first regular season loss of the year?

Dylan Holloway skated with the Oilers this morning, but will not be in tonight’s lineup.

Let’s get at it.

THREE THINGS TO LOOK FOR

  • It’s early in the season, but 91-97-56 hasn’t been good. I’m not going to tell you who should go up top (you already know that answer), but if we’re insisting on putting 97 with 56, can the Oilers at least put Zach Hyman on top and run 91-29 with 13?
  • PK PROBLEM? I’d like to try and avoid taking a few games and making large, sweeping generalizations about them. What’s it all mean? The Oilers are clocking in at just under a 73% PK success rate. You’d think after going 7/8 in the first game of the season, it’d somehow level off? It hasn’t. They’ve allowed five power play goals in their last four games, including one on their only penalty kill opportunity n their 2-0 loss to the Blues on Saturday. Edmonton will have their work cut out for them if they find themselves shorthanded tonight, as the Penguins are averaging over a 26% power play success rate (and they’re scoring over 5 goals a game).
  • GETTING THE LEAD: Having the lead at the end of the game is important. Having it early on, almost as important. The Oilers have been able to get the first goal just once in five games (the 6-4 win over the Hurricanes), and it would behoove a struggling club a fair bit if they can get the lead early and work from there.

The Penguins are scoring a bunch of goals, and Tristan Jarry (.941 SV%) has been hot early. Can the Oilers stick a wrench in Pittsburgh’s plans?

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