The Copper & Blue - Game Coverage: Game 7 - Oilers vs CapitalsA site for fans of the Edmonton Oilers. Someday we'll get to write about an Oilers playoff game. Hopefully sooner than later.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/13253/copper-fave.jpg2016-10-26T23:25:18-06:00http://www.coppernblue.com/rss/stream/131936272016-10-26T23:25:18-06:002016-10-26T23:25:18-06:00Oilers Demolish Capitals
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<figcaption>Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Oilers are starting to pull away from the rest of the Western Conference. Is the NHL a competitive enough league for this super team?</p> <p>The Oilers played the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night. Those who watched the game may have thought that they were watching the 1974-75 expansion Capitals, who managed a mere 21 points in 80 games. However, that was not the case. The team the Oilers played on Wednesday night came into the game with a 3-1-1 record, and are the defending President's Trophy winners from the 2015-16 season.</p>
<p>"Whatever" , anyone with half a brain should have thought to themselves. This year's Oilers team does not lose games, it wins them, except for every now and then, when the players decide to lose to a joke of an opponent, just to keep the fans on their toes.</p>
<p>Here's a recap for anyone who isn't piss drunk at a Stanley Cup parade planning party right now:</p>
<p>The Oilers decided to not start scoring for the first 27 minutes of the game. During that time, they continued to let Cam Talbot show off his newly obtained double-dad strength, by turning away every shot he faced. This was particularly helpful early in the second period, when the Oilers decided not to take a single shot, so as to not distract anyone from how obviously superior Talbot is to Holtby.</p>
<p>At one point in the second period, Benoit Pouliot and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins decided that there wasn't enough scoring happening, so Nuge banked a shot in off Pouliot's leg, then pouliot banked a shot in off Holtby's back, in an obvious homage to Pouliot's new coworker Wayne Gretzky.</p>
<p>Then, nine seconds into the third period, Alex Ovechkin, who is one of the few people on earth capable of scoring on dad-strength Cam Talbot, pulled the Caps to within a goal. Some may have thought that the lead wasn't safe at that point. Wrong. Connor McDavid started to do Connor McDavid-type things in the third period. He walked past John Carlson as if he was standing still, on his way to setting up the Oilers' third goal, by Pat 'Big Rig' Maroon. Then he fed Andrej Sekera for a slapshot that was tipped in by Milan Lucic for the Oilers' fourth goal.</p>
<p>When it was all said and done, the Oilers had a three-point lead on second place in the western conference, and I had forgotten that the last ten years ever happened.</p>
<p><b>Silver Lining </b></p>
<p>I used to write a 'silver lining' section in my game recaps after losses. Since those will barely ever happen anymore, I've decided to re-purpose this section for general observations. In tonight's edition, my thoughts turn to the Hall trade, which I finally understand. Given how dominant the likes of McDavid, Eberle, Lucic, Draisaitl, Pouliot and Nugent-Hopkins can be, when they're on their game, the prospect of keeping Hall meant one thing: Being banned from the NHL for being too dominant. We see this all the time in beer-league hockey. If a team wins too many games, by too many goals, they must either be broken up, or moved up a division. Seeing as how there is no division above the NHL, the only move was to preemptively break up that murderers row of offensive talent. You can't win the cup if they won't let you play in the league. That is the silver lining to the Hall trade.</p>
<p><b>Stats Central/ Corey's Game Puck</b></p>
<p>In slightly less than 14 even-strength minutes played, Connor McDavid was on the ice for 1.22 expected goals for and 0.15 expected goals against, per corsica.hockey. He is good. Jordan Eberle and Milan Lucic led the way with 0.72 and 0.67 individual expected goals at all strengths. I know this article was littered with hyperbole, but that line is looking as dangerous as any line in hockey, for real. If the Oilers are going to break their postseason drought, it will likely be on their backs. Connor gets my game puck.</p>
https://www.coppernblue.com/2016/10/26/13432538/oilers-beat-caps-should-probably-think-about-moving-up-a-divisionctravers2016-10-26T17:00:03-06:002016-10-26T17:00:03-06:00Oilers vs Capitals Discussion Thread
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<figcaption>Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Oilers look to keep the good time rolling as they play host to the Washington Capitals.</p> <h4>What you need to know</h4>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.coppernblue.com/">Oilers</a> Record: 5-1-0<br> Last 10: N/A<br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.japersrink.com/">Capitals</a> Record: 3-1-1<br> Last 10: N/A</p>
<p>Oilers All-Time Record vs Washington: 29-34-6-1<br> Goals For/Against: 244/247<br> Oilers Record Last Season vs Washington: 0-2-0<br> Goals For/Against: 4/8<br> Streak: Capitals have won the last two</p>
<p>Puck Drop: 7:30PM MST<br> Television: Sportsnet 360<br> The Opposing View: <a href="http://www.japersrink.com/">Japers' Rink</a> | Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/japersrink">@JapersRink</a></p>
<h4>Tonight's Storyline</h4>
<p>"Are the Oilers for real?" is a question a lot of people around the NHL are asking right now, and for a change they're asking because the team is doing something good. So good in fact, that the Oilers found themselves at the top of the NHL's standings following their win on Sunday, and can return there with a win and some help from the Islanders tonight. Since Sunday two whole days have passed without an Oilers game, a break in the schedule that suddenly seems unbearably long. Winning really is a lot of fun.</p>
<h4>Line Combinations</h4>
<p id="IuMrO8">No word on any changes to the lineup that blanked the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arcticicehockey.com/">Jets</a> on Sunday afternoon.</p>
<div id="Df1C99"> <p><strong>Forward Lines</strong><br> <span>Milan Lucic</span> - <span>Connor McDavid</span> - <span>Jordan Eberle</span><br> <span>Benoit Pouliot</span> - <span>Ryan Nugent-Hopkins</span> - <span>Zack Kassian</span><br> <span>Patrick Maroon</span> - <span>Leon Draisaitl</span> - <span>Jesse Puljujarvi</span><br> <span>Tyler Pitlick</span> - <span>Mark Letestu</span> - <span>Anton Lander</span></p> <p><strong>Defence Pairs</strong><br> <span>Oscar Klefbom</span> - <span>Adam Larsson</span><br> <span>Andrej Sekera</span> - <span>Kris Russell</span><br> <span>Darnell Nurse</span> - <span>Eric Gryba</span></p> <p><strong>Goalies</strong><br> <span>Cam Talbot</span><br><span>Jonas Gustavsson</span></p> </div>
https://www.coppernblue.com/2016/10/26/13429652/oilers-vs-capitals-preview-lineups-how-to-watch-and-discussion-threadryan_batty2016-10-26T12:55:26-06:002016-10-26T12:55:26-06:00The Copper & Blue’s Wednesday Roundtable
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<p>Our readers have questions, we have answers.</p> <h3 id="fDBT3Y">1) We're six game in and a lot is going to change. Give me one aspect of the Oilers' game that going to change in the next couple months, could be good or bad. </h3>
<p id="U7R0px"><strong>Shona: </strong>Injuries which is bad. Right now you’re looking at fairly minor players being injured, but it’s unreal to expect that at some point this season someone higher in the depth chart isn’t going to get hurt. Someone higher in the depth chart always seems to get hurt. Also the defense, I’d expect that things will change there for the better when some of the players return from injury. Of course, that’s not a sure thing. It may all go down the toilet despite an increase in NHL experience and the defensive pairings getting a better idea of exactly what the person they’re playing with will do.</p>
<p id="2u19Gi"><strong>Derek: </strong>Teams are going to focus more and more on McDavid. Calgary basically left him alone and he torched them. The last 4 opponents (especially Buffalo) have been a lot more focused on him. In the Buffalo game, the Oilers seemed to expect McDavid to do most of the offensive work like he did vs Calgary. After that game, the others seemed to have understood that he can't be the only one to carry the water.</p>
<p id="KeaYBo"><strong>Jeff: </strong>Oilers are 5-1 in their first six games, so let's keep this one relatively upbeat. The second line is going to have to start producing sooner than later, yeah? Particularly 67 and 93, they can't be huffing zeroes all year. Nugent-Hopkins has just 2 assists in six games, while Benoit Pouliot has 1-1-2 in the same period. Nuge has averaged two shots per game all year, you've got to think that he'll start finding the back of the net before too long. </p>
<p id="b7KDfT"><strong>Alan: </strong>Well an awful lot has been going right for Edmonton through the first six games and if history tells us anything it is that things tend to regress to the mean over the longer term. There are any number of things that could and in some cases will play out on. Right now everyone is pleasantly surprised by the results Kris Russell has had, but if we dig a little deeper, you'll see that his PDO is a full 4.8 points higher than any other full-time player on the team not named McDavid. You could make a case that Connor's might stay slightly elevated due to his obscene skill (I suspect his drops too though) but Russell's bound to plummet back to reality a bit and I'm curious what people will be saying about his game when that happens. It's easy to have a GF% in the low 70's when your teammates are converting on their chances and your goalie is stopping every shot when you're on the ice. That said I'm not trying to knock what Russell's done so far, I just think people are all warm and fuzzy over the team's strong start and are overlooking red flags that would be obvious if he played for any team other than your favourite one when they are winning games. The same regression point applies to Tyler Pitlick and his 19% shooting percentage.</p>
<p id="KURuuN"><strong>Scott: </strong>The Oilers have scored more goals per game than anyone else in the league. I doubt that continues. They have 12 goals so far from McDavid, Eberle, Lucic, Nugent-Hopkins, Pouliot, and Draisaitl (2.0 per game) and 10 from their other forwards (1.7 per game). Their top six will probably regress a little, but it's really that second number that I think takes a big hit. Last season, they got 112 goals from McDavid, Eberle, Hall, Nugent-Hopkins, Pouliot, and Draisaitl (1.4 per game), and just 63 from all of their other forwards (0.8 per game). I don't think the support forwards have improved that much. </p>
<p id="RjEQOX"><strong>Ben: </strong>This is a common mistake. In fact, there are only two parts of the season that matter: the beginning of the season, when everything that happens over 82 games is determined permanently, and the end of the season, when we decide who wants it most. Those fifty-odd games in the middle never count and in fact are often not played, fans relying on fictionalized "live-tweets" of 50-50 draws that were never awarded and Japanese girls that never resisted. Therefore, I think we can confidently say that Taylor Hall and the old arena were the problems all along, and the Oilers are great.</p>
<p id="tY3Ro0"><strong>Matt: </strong>The Oilers obviously won't continue to win 83% of their games. A lot of things have broken the Oilers way through the first month, and that will certainly not continue. That said, points are already in the bank, and the Oilers are well-posited to make their most legitimate run at a playoff berth in some time. Caution for the optimists, however, the Oilers rode a two-week spell of Khabibulin's best hockey and RNH's coming out party to a great record a few years ago, only to draft Yakupov that summer. Even still, I think Talbot will settle somewhere between his god-awful and god-mode variants and provide league average goaltending. Kris Russell will continue his decline from the high water mark of his career (G1 vs Calgary), and completely revert back to the form that gives the Copper and Blue staff the pukes. Benoit Pouliot will stop taking 46 penalties every three minutes, Darnell Nurse will continue to improve (hopefully), and Ryan Nugent Hopkins will contribute a little more offensively.</p>
<p id="6Ol7zp"><strong>Ryan: </strong>Winning games is a lot of fun, but something tells me that the Oilers aren’t going to keep winning five out of every six. Maybe I’m being crazy, I just don’t see the team winning 68 games this season. Yeah it’s a lazy answer but sometimes you just want to be right.</p>
<h3 id="IdhZh4">2) Now what can we expect to stay the same? </h3>
<p id="RUFIWE"><strong>Shona: </strong>Connor McDavid will continue to be awesome. The fans will continue to vacillate between this being the best thing ever and the end of the world. And the Oilers will continue to have the ability to lose big if the house of cards falls apart.</p>
<p id="yg2WpP"><strong>Derek: </strong>We've already seen the ebbs and flows of goaltending. Talbot was pedestrian to downright awful the first 3 games, and was just brilliant the last 3. I think we are going to be in for this all season, which isn't really a surprise, once you get outside top handful of goaltenders, this is how they typically all perform.</p>
<p id="kTAbuy"><strong>Jeff: </strong>I think Cam Talbot has established some normalcy after a couple of curvy weeks. Right now he's batting .924 SV%, which isn't too far from his last season finish of .921%. Some wavy waters to begin the season for Cam Talbot, but I think he's straightened the ship and he's going to be the Oilers' go-to for the next six months. The Oilers are going to need him. </p>
<p id="p9sAHV"><strong>Alan: </strong>I think the McDavid line will continue to produce at a strong rate. I'm not sure how good I feel about that being the best combination for the team because I think the skill and offence could be a little better distributed amongst the top 9 to balance out the roster, but there's no denying how successful Lucic-McDavid-Eberle has been, nor is it really all that surprising. I think the strong play of Klefbom and Larsson will continue as well. I'd like to see them hopefully be able to generate a little more offensively, even just from a creating chances perspective, but their ratios are really strong in terms of what they create vs. what they allow. I actually think that might come too as the Oilers middle six starts to figure itself out. They are already maximizing their minutes with the top line and if they can help drive RNH's line a little then they could emerge as one of the better tandems in the league. I don't really think the counting stats are coming for Larsson, but Klefbom could but some points on the board this year.</p>
<p id="a9sNPE"><strong>Scott: </strong>I think the goaltending has been pretty close to expectations so far. Cam Talbot is the clear top guy, and I expect him to get more than sixty starts. I said at the start of the year that I expected him to perform at his career average or better, and he's just one goal off that mark through six games. </p>
<p id="Pei0Yv"><strong>Ben: </strong>I don't see why we should expect anything to stay the same after only six games. That's 7.3% of the regular season. If you looked at the first 7.3% of your life and said "what do you expect to stay the same?" you'd say "well I imagine I'll spend a lot of time sucking on boobies and crapping myself," and in some of our cases you'd be right but it would hardly validate the concept. Anybody who says we can confidently say anything is behaving with the rashness of the American general who got his troops surrounded and shouted "they can't get away from us now!"</p>
<p id="nqOu3Z"><strong>Matt: </strong>The Oilers will continue to be in games. The Oilers have the best player in hockey and he is virtually unstoppable. The curious thing, for me at least, is that the Oilers are still .500 when teams DO stop him. Of course, with a 2 game sample size, your mileage may vary. But, one thing to remember: McDavid will not be held off the scoresheet very much this year. He's that good.</p>
<p id="plfxph"><strong>Ryan: </strong>The Klefbom/Larsson pairing is going to continue to be solid. There is a lot to like about their play so far this season and I think things only get better as they get more familiar with each other. So maybe that’s not the same after all. These questions are hard.</p>
<h3 id="0AXQ39">3) Tyler Pitlick and Anton Slepyshev, what are you thinking? Are these guys actual NHLers?</h3>
<p id="Y67WEi"><strong>Shona: </strong>I like Pitlick but Slepyshev has never been a favourite of mine. Watching him in Oilers rookie camps was almost painful. However, I would argue that logically by playing in the NHL, these guys are actual NHLers. Since the Oilers aren’t the worst team in the league right now, they’re even NHLers on possibly more than one team. If they belong in the NHL long term will depend on if they can keep up. Like everyone else, they will need to prove continued value to the Oilers. If they can do that, or the Oilers rack up more injuries, I see them staying in the NHL longer.</p>
<p id="f5dtWo"><strong>Derek: </strong>Pitlick has always had the tools, his problem was something always seemed to break on his toolbox. If there's an injury to be had, he's had it and it's set him back several times. Kudos to the Oilers for sticking with him. Slepyshev is another who seems to be able to play at this level. He's very good on the cycle but I don't think he'll ever have the offense people might have hoped from him. One thing to consider though, is the season is still early. Players tend to come into the NHL and go all out for several games before tapering off. This has mostly to do with the fact that it's hard to play that way consistently (and what separates regular NHL players from fill ins). We'll have to see if these 2 can maintain that style over a long stretch.</p>
<p id="JrNfAm"><strong>Jeff: </strong>I'm more bullish on Tyler Pitlick than I am on Anton Slepyshev, but that's partly due to the fact that Pitlick has three goals already this season. A 6'2" forward who can crash and bang has some time available to him on a Chiarelli roster. If you see 15 goals out of Pitlick this year, wouldn't you call that a success?</p>
<p id="1ls0yi"><strong>Alan: </strong>I've always been a fan of Pitlick and feel bad that injuries have had such a harsh impact on his career. I also felt like Slepyshev should have been drafted in the top 100 in his first draft year and then he went on to be a middle round pick in his 2nd year of eligibility after being completely passed over the first time. I think there possibly players there in both of those guys. If Pitlick can leave his injury trouble behind, then certainly I believe it's there for him to take. That said, if you're looking at these two and thinking "future top six forward" I think you'll be disappointed. I think Pitlick can be a nice piece in a depth role serving as an upgrade on some of the lousy 4th line pieces Edmonton has had in recent years. If he grows into a 3rd line role I think he'll have exceeded my expectations, which would be great. Slepyshev probably not all that different. I actually think they may end up competing with one another for a job at some point, which is just fine.</p>
<p id="clf7lf"><strong>Scott: </strong>I'll interpret this as guys who will be regulars for at least a couple of years. Slepyshev at least has a couple of paths to regular status. He may develop the skills to be a solid fourth line player, but he may also develop the offense to play up the lineup a little. He's already got one game this year where he played almost fourteen minutes and performed quite well. I think he probably gets sent down to the AHL sometime this season and hopefully gets a chance to develop that offense. I wouldn't be surprised to see him back. With Pitlick, I think the possibilities are more limited. He hasn't played more than ten minutes in a game yet this year. When he did a couple of years ago, he wasn't particularly successful. His ability to hold a fourth line job long term probably depends on his ability to PK, which he hasn't ever done at the NHL level, but they're trying to ease him into it. His three minutes on the PK this season are the most of his NHL career. </p>
<p id="fTVh9C"><strong>Ben: </strong>I'm not buying Sleepy for a second. No doubt the Oilers have and will run out worse players, so in that sense he may be an "actual NHLer" because we won't have anyone capable of taking his job for like three years (the Jean-Francois Jacques story), but given the one-dimensionality of his game he should probably, y'know, stretch that dimension pretty far. He has never done so, not in any league, unless we say "well he had a reasonable 20-year-old KHL season considering" which is damning with faint praise indeed.</p>
<p id="cwXVju">Pitlick is a bit different. Pitlick's more well-rounded game means that coaches will be looking for reasons to give him minutes instead of reasons to deny him. His offense isn't in advance of Sleepy's or anything (no he is not going to score 30 goals this year) despite being older, but he does more things and does them acceptably. I won't say "he is an actual NHLer," rather "he'll go on some bottom sixes and not totally humiliate himself and the Oilers will probably not be his last NHL shot, though he may not get a third." How's that?</p>
<p id="5LBVes"><strong>Matt: </strong>Both players possess the most important skill, IMO, for a bottom six player in today's NHL: speed. They can both skate, and they can both skate well. Tyler Pitlick has had an NHL release forever, but he's also had an NHL team's worth of injuries so far in his young career. Slepyshev scored at every level he played at before coming to North America, so there's some puck skills there as well. I imagine we'll only see flashes of it though, while he simplifies his game to suit a North-South bottom six role as per the coaching staff.</p>
<p id="IANhXb"><strong>Ryan: </strong>If I had to pick one I’d go with Pitlick – three goals so far this season – but I’m not sure either is still around two years from now though. Looking at what the Oilers have now, what they still need to add to be truly competitive, and what these two likely are be, I don’t see where they fit. So for either to be an NHLer they’d have to beat expectations and I don’t predict players to do that.</p>
<h3 id="6XzycU">4) Who is your favourite Muppet?</h3>
<p id="UPysET"><strong>Shona: </strong>Beaker because I had a co-worker that people thought looked like him. It drove that guy crazy!</p>
<p id="pidNQ4"><strong>Derek: </strong>Mahna Mahna, and I'll fight anyone over it.</p>
<p id="zvgeBC"><strong>Jeff: </strong>Dr. Teeth. I was a band nerd in high school.</p>
<p id="HgHN89"><strong>Alan: </strong>The correct answer to this question is the duo of Statler and Waldorf. DB has no idea what he's talking about.</p>
<p id="R8ZzD4"><em>Note: At this point the email thread is derailed by discussion regarding Statler and Waldorf and whether or not the duo truly counts as a single Muppet. References to Salt-N-Pepa follow.</em></p>
<p id="hblV2W"><strong>Scott: </strong>Statler and Waldorf. Loved those guys as a kid.</p>
<p id="2VicA6"><strong>Ben: </strong>Kevin Lowe</p>
<p id="1a64DC"><strong>Matt: </strong>Fozzy Bear and it's not close. Waka waka.</p>
<p id="ItcpFJ"><strong>Ryan: </strong>Wow, seven answers and not one of them right. Rowlf the Dog. No other answer is acceptable. Maybe Ben’s.</p>
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https://www.coppernblue.com/2016/10/26/13425106/oilers-news-talbot-mcdavid-pitlick-slepyshev-muppetsryan_battysdh0809dawgbone98Jeff ChapmanAlan HullScott ReynoldsBenjamin Masseyflarwick2016-10-26T07:58:28-06:002016-10-26T07:58:28-06:00Capitals @ Oilers: Can The Oilers Make It Six Wins In Seven Games?
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<img alt="Who's ready for a little Taylor Chorney in their diet? " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hW0gGT31eOqVOs-zX3l9LY9aa0o=/0x229:2368x1808/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51527813/usa-today-9286289.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Who's ready for a little Taylor Chorney in their diet? | Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>After shutting out the Jets at the Heritage Classic, Oilers can make some space in the Pacific with win against the Capitals</p> <p><a href="https://www.coppernblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link"></a></p>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><b>3-1-1, 7 points, 1.4 p/g</b></td>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>7:30 PM MDT</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>TV - Sportsnet 360, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sportsnet West, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sportsnet One, </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Sportsnet Ontario</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b> Radio - 630 CHED</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Rogers Place</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">The opposing view: <a target="_blank" href="http://japersrink.com">
<div style="text-align: center;">Japers' Rink</div>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://japersrink.com"> </a></p>
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<div style="text-align: center;">PROJECTED</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">FORWARDS</div>
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<span>Milan Lucic</span> - <span>Connor McDavid</span> - <span>Jordan Eberle</span>
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<span>Benoit Pouliot</span> - <span>Ryan Nugent-Hopkins</span> - <span>Zack Kassian</span>
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<span>Patrick Maroon</span>- <span>Leon Draisaitl</span> - Jesse Puljujäärvi</div>
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<span>Tyler Pitlick</span> - <span>Mark Letestu</span> - <span>Anton Lander</span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">DEFENCE</div>
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<span>Oscar Klefbom</span> - <span>Adam Larsson</span>
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<span>Andrej Sekera</span> - <span>Kris Russell</span>
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<span>Darnell Nurse</span> - <span>Eric Gryba</span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">GOAL</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">Cam Talbot</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span>Jonas Gustavsson</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.tiqiq.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers-tickets/edmonton-oilers-vs-san-jose-sharks--12-09-2015/2006312185557"></a>
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.tiqiq.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers-tickets/edmonton-oilers-vs-new-york-rangers--12-11-2015/2006312185558"></a>
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<a target="_blank" href="http://www.tiqiq.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers-tickets/edmonton-oilers-vs-calgary-flames--01-16-2016/2006312185565"></a>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">The Hits Keep On Coming</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">The Edmonton Oilers handled the <a href="https://www.arcticicehockey.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Winnipeg Jets</a> in the Heritage Classic. They earned two points, they shut out a Jets team with a budding star on it. Things are good right now. Also, Connor McDavid.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The trio of Mark Letestu, Darnell Nurse and Zack Kassian each scored a goal in Sunday's outdoor triumph at Investors Field. The Jets were held to a giant zero on the scoreboard, and the Oilers left a sun-soaked Winnipeg with the lead in the Western Conference. I can barely contain myself with all that's going on here. Cam Talbot earned first star honours turning aside all 32 Winnipeg shots. The Oilers win. The Oilers win again.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Edmonton moves it back indoors tonight as the <a href="https://www.japersrink.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Capitals</a> visit Rogers Place. Can the Oilers make it six wins in seven games?</p>
<p style="text-align: left; ">Let's go to the tape.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span></span><b style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.25em;">The Oilers are saying</b></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">"We knew, two points, at the end of the day, once we stepped on the ice, that's what we went there to get. The experience itself was incredible, but once that puck drops it seems like, no matter where you are, it just turns into a game."</p>
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/nurse-on-changing-the-pace/c-283075826?tid=281885062">Source</a>
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<p>That's Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse on his experience at the Heritage Classic.</p>
<p>Midway through the second period, Nurse scored a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nhl.com/video/t-282911690/c-45605003">pretty little goal after emerging from the penalty box</a>.</p>
<h3>The opponents are saying</h3>
<blockquote>"We talked as a coaching staff that we'd like to get him in this trip somewhere for sure...I thin it's important. Taylor's a real good pro and has been in this role a little bit and been with us, but at some point in this road trip, I think you're going to see <span>Taylor Chorney</span>." <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capitals-insider/wp/2016/10/25/taylor-chorney-likely-to-make-season-debut-during-upcoming-caps-road-swing/">Source</a>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/versteeg-thrilled-to-sign-close-to-home/c-282560130"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://oilers.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/boxscore?id=2015020687" target="_blank"></a></p>
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<div>That's Capitals coach Barry Trotz on Caps defenceman Taylor Chorney.</div>
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<div>I mean, if you're going to <i>See Taylor Chorney</i>, I suppose tonight's just as good a night as any. Chorney spent parts of three really lean seasons with the Oilers during 2010-12 (<i>Rebuild 2.0). </i>He played 55 games with Washington last season and finished 1-5-6.</div>
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<div><b style="font-size: 1.5em;">Have some of this</b></div>
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<li> <b>FIRST STAR: </b>Cam Talbot's smoothed out his game quite a bit, earning <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/oilers-goalie-cam-talbot-named-nhl-first-star-week/">the NHL's first star honours for last week</a>. Things are good if your SV% runs at .970 over three games. </li>
<li> <b>SECONDARY SCORING: </b>When you get goals from Darnell Nurse, Zack Kassian, and Mark Letestu, things are going your way. That's just what the Oilers received in Sunday's Heritage Classic, and they're going to continue to need it as long as <span>Benoit Pouliot</span> (1-1-2) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (0-2-2) continue to run dry. Everybody cool out on 67 and 93, it's going to be OK. </li>
<li> <b>WASHINGTON SPECIAL TEAMS WOES: </b>Caps' special teams hasn't exactly roared out to a memorable start. Washington currently sits 24th overall in PP (12.5%) and they're at 27th (71.4%) on the PK. </li>
<li> <b>MORE MCDAVID</b>: <span>Connor McDavid's</span> fanciful assist on Darnell Nurse's goal against the Jets gives McDavid his ninth point (4-5-9) in six games. I am a six year old boy in the Christmas season when McDavid touches the puck, filled with wonder and awe.</li>
<li> <b>UP AGAIN: </b>Defenceman Matt Benning was recalled before the Heritage Classic game, and as of this writing remains with the team. Will we see him in the near future?</li>
<li> <span>Cam Talbot</span> (5-1-0, .919 SV% / 2.75 GAA) will likely start for the Oilers today. The Caps will likely run with stalwart <span>Braden Holtby</span> (2-1-0, .924 SV% / 1.98 GAA)</li>
<li>We made it an entire game preview without saying Alexander Ovechkin's name. </li>
<li> <b>VEGAS, BABY</b>: The Oilers have some time to work this one out, but an expansion draft is coming up soon. This means that the Las Vegas (<i>insert name here) </i>will be selecting an unprotected player from the Edmonton Oilers at the conclusion of the 2016-17 season. Question is, who do you protect? Do you protect seven forwards and three defencemen? Or, do you opt for four forwards and four defencemen? Connor McDavid is exempt. Milan Lucic, Cam Talbot and Andrej Sekera have NMCs and are part of the fabric as well. <a href="https://www.capfriendly.com/expansion-draft">Please use only a number two pencil</a>. </li>
<li> <span>Iiro Pakarinen</span> (knee), <span>Drake Caggiula</span> (hip), <span>Mark Fayne</span> (undisclosed) <span>Brandon Davidson</span> (upper body) and <span>Matt Hendricks</span> (lower body) will not dress for the Oilers tonight. As of 8 AM this morning, Washington reports no injuries. </li>
<li>#GOILERS</li>
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https://www.coppernblue.com/2016/10/26/13416166/capitals-oilers-can-the-oilers-make-it-six-wins-in-seven-gamesJeff Chapman2016-10-24T10:36:12-06:002016-10-24T10:36:12-06:00Quiet week for Talbot<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.nhl.com/news/cam-talbot-artem-anisimov-and-mike-green-named-stars-of-the-week/c-282992950">Quiet week for&nbsp;Talbot</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>So what did you do this week?</p>
<p>If your name is Cam Talbot, you went 3-0-0, stopped 96 of 99 shots, won the first outdoor game in franchise history and became a father to a pair of twins.</p>
<p>You were also named the NHL's 1st star of the week.</p>
<p>All in all, a quiet quite a week.</p></p></div>
https://www.coppernblue.com/2016/10/24/13386460/quiet-week-for-talbotdawgbone982016-10-23T09:30:03-06:002016-10-23T09:30:03-06:00The Week Ahead - October 23 to 29
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<figcaption>Jason Halstead/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>A quick look at the match-ups the lie ahead for the Oilers this week.</p> <p id="eYbP7d">So far so good for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.coppernblue.com/">Oilers</a>. They haven't all been masterpieces, and the team is clearly still a work in progress, but the team is winning more games than they're losing right now, and for Oilers fans that's cause for celebration. Even if it is only the third week of the season. This week the Oilers will look to keep the good times going starting with the Hertigae Classic in Winnipeg, before returning home to take on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.japersrink.com/">Capitals</a>, and then visiting the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/">Canucks</a> to wrap up the week.</p>
<h3>Game 6 - Edmonton Oilers at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.arcticicehockey.com/">Winnipeg Jets</a>
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<p>Oilers Record: 4-1-0<br> Last 10: N/A<br>Jets Record: 2-2-0<br> Last 10: N/A</p>
<p>Oilers All-Time Record vs Winnipeg/Atlanta: 11-5-1-5<br> Goals For/Against: 71/54<br>Oilers All-Time Record vs Jets (including WHA): 123-94-11-4<br> Goals For/Against: 992/879<br> Oilers Record Last Season vs Winnipeg: 2-0-1<br> Goals For/Against: 6/3<br> Streak: Oilers won the last game</p>
<p>Puck Drop: 1:00PM MST<br> Television: Sportsnet<br> The Opposing View: <a href="http://www.arcticicehockey.com/">Arctic Ice Hockey</a> | Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/arcticicehockey">@arcticicehockey</a></p>
<p id="lNWVbz">13 years after playing in the first Heritage Classic, and introducing the NHL to a golden goose which the league is determined to kill, the Oilers visit Winnipeg to play the Jets in their first outdoor game. The Oilers were the logical team for the Jets to host in this game as the two cities have a long history with each other, and both were original members of the WHA in 1972. But those Jets aren't these Jets. Those Jets now play in Arizona, and these Jets are really the Thrashers, but that's an issue for another day, today let's just enjoy an outdoor hockey game.</p>
<h3>Game 7 - Edmonton Oilers versus Washington Capitals</h3>
<p>Oilers Record: 4-1-0<br> Last 10: N/A<br>Capitals Record: 3-1-1<br> Last 10: N/A</p>
<p>Oilers All-Time Record vs Washington: 29-34-6-1<br> Goals For/Against: 244/247<br> Oilers Record Last Season vs Washington: 0-2-0<br> Goals For/Against: 4/8<br> Streak: Capitals have won the last two</p>
<p>Puck Drop: 7:30PM MST<br> Television: Sportsnet 360<br> The Opposing View: <a href="http://www.japersrink.com/">Japers' Rink</a> | Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/japersrink">@JapersRink</a></p>
<p id="NWLLSW">Will this finally be the Capitals' year? The year when all the pieces on an obviously talented team come together and they win it all, or at least advance past the second round of the playoffs? I really like Alexander Ovechkin so I sort of hope so, I also hope that the Oilers someday have problems like this. Being a playoff disappointment has to be better than being a regular season disappointment.</p>
<h3>Game 8 - Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks</h3>
<p>Oilers Record: 4-1-0<br> Last 10: N/A<br>Canucks Record: 4-0-1<br> Last 10: N/A</p>
<p>Oilers All-Time Record vs Vancouver: 122-85-19-14<br> Goals For/Against: 882/774<br> Oilers Record Last Season vs Vancouver: 3-0-2<br> Goals For/Against: 14/8<br> Streak: Vancouver won the last game in a shootout</p>
<p>Puck Drop: 8:00PM MST<br> Television: Sportsnet 360<br> The Opposing View: <a href="http://www.nucksmisconduct.com/">Nucks Misconduct</a> | Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/nucksmisconduct">@nucksmisconduct</a></p>
<p id="UWQcRH">People around the NHL are likely more than a little surprised that the Oilers have started the season with four wins in five games, and those same people are likely stunned that the Canucks have matched that win total and have a loser point as well. Nine points in five games from a team picked by many to finish last in the Pacific Division and possibly challenge for the league's worth overall record.</p>
https://www.coppernblue.com/2016/10/23/13371700/Oilers-schedule-how-to-watch-jets-heritage-classic-capitals-canucksryan_batty