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| EDMONTON OILERS |
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16–11–0 (32 points; .593%) ROSTER / SCHEDULE |
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9:00 P.M. – THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16 ROGERS PLACE EDMONTON, AB, CANADA |
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BALLY SPORTS OHIO ESPN+ (Non-LocalThe |
The last two third periods of play have not been kind to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
But the last six games have not been kind to the Edmonton Oilers.
After escaping with a 5-4 win Saturday night in Seattle despite three Kraken goals in the third period to send the game to overtime, the Blue Jackets gave up another three-goal third Tuesday night in Vancouver, losing 4-3 in regulation when the Canucks scored in the final minute. It was a continuation of Columbus' season-long inability to play with a lead.
For the Oilers, their fiery 9-1 start seems like a lifetime ago. Edmonton's six straight games without a point — five of which have come at home — is their longest such streak since December of 2018.
The two teams meet Thursday night from Rogers Place in Alberta, with both looking to break the schneid.
| CBJ | EDM | |
|---|---|---|
| 3.22 | GOALS FOR | 3.30 |
| 3.30 | AGAINST | 3.15 |
| 19.4% | POWER PLAY | 31.0% |
| 80.0% | PENALTY KILL | 82.1% |
| 29.6 | SHOTS FOR | 32.3 |
| 34.4 | SHOTS AGAINST | 33.3 |
| 50.7% | FACEOFF WINS | 52.5% |
| 42.8% | MONEYPUCK'S ODDS TO WIN | 57.2% |
| 37.3% | THE 538'S ODDS TO WIN | 63.0% |
| 88.1 | 82-GAME POINT PACE | 97.2 |
HOT START, BUT...
The six-game losing streak for the Oilers is baffling. They've been outscored 24-9 during that stretch, and in the five home games, they've scored a total of six goals. That's Arizona Coyote-level bad, but the Oilers have two of the three league-leaders in points in Connor McDavid (45) and Leon Draisaitl (45). Teams without an elite goalie and with a below-average defense are prone to losing streaks, but the Oilers offense should be good enough to not let it get this out of hand.
It is a top-heavy offense, though. Behind McDavid and Draisaitl, the Oilers have seen contributions on offense from forwards Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (3-21-24), Jesse Puljujarvi (8-12-20), and Zach Hyman (11-8-19). Those five players have 62% of the Oilers' 246 points to date, and only one other forward (Zack Kassian) has more than eight points on the season.
Veteran goalie Mikko Koskinen is likely in net for Edmonton. The 33-year-old is 12-6-0 on the year, with a 3.16 goals against and a .902 save percentage. In his four starts at home during the streak, his save percentage sits at just .860.
STORYLINES
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COMIN' OUT HOT
The Oilers, desperate for their first points on the final game of a six-game homestand, are going to come out quick. The first ten minutes of the game will be crucial. Clog the passing lanes, play smart, and frustrate the Oilers early.
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DOMI-NANCE
Max Domi has four goals in his last four games, has five straight games without going negative on the plus/minus rating, and his 3.83 points per 60 minutes of game time is still top ten in the league amongst qualifying players. Domi has been one of the best players in the lineup when he's played, and another big night would do Columbus a lot of good.
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IF UP IN THE THIRD...
Try to go up more! Columbus' offense has been working for them more often than not this season and it's the catalyst behind a winning first two months of the season. If the Blue Jackets have proved one thing this season, it's that their lead is never safe.
TONIGHT’S LINES*
| LW | C | RW | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | Alexandre Texier | 38 | Boone Jenner | 28 | Oliver Bjorkstrand |
| 16 | Max Domi | 96 | Jack Roslovic | 93 | Jakub Voracek |
| 50 | Eric Robinson | 7 | Sean Kuraly | 17 | Justin Danforth |
| 14 | Gustav Nyquist | 34 | Cole Sillinger | 59 | Yegor Chinakhov |
| LD | RD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Zach Werenski | 22 | Jake Bean |
| 44 | Vladislav Gavrikov | 5 | Gavin Bayreuther |
| 53 | Gabriel Carlsson | 2 | Andrew Peeke |
| Starting Goalie | Backup | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | Elvis Merzlikins | 70 | Joonas Korpisalo |
*as of 3:30pm
WHAT HAPPENS?
On paper, this seems like the kind of game that Edmonton wins 7-1. They certainly can't go 0-6 at home and extend their losing streak to seven, right? Their dormant offense is overdue for an eruption. Columbus' defense has been swiss cheese. But that storyline seems too obvious. Edmonton wins, but it's closer than the narrative would tell us. Oilers 4, Blue Jackets 2
