17-14-2____19-8-6
Date: Wednesday, December 21st
Time: 7:30PM/MST
Television: SN1
Radio: 630 CHED The OILERS radio network
Darnell Does Dallas
Lets hope we see more coordinated celebrations from the Oiler Dads tonight, then the awkward high five between McDavid and Puljujarvi senior
Last Encounter: November 5th, 2022, Sorry for triggering any repressed memories.
Season Series:
Stars@Oilers- November 5th, 2022 - Stars 6 Oilers 2
Oilers@Stars - December 21st, 2022 -
Stars@Oilers - March 16th, 2023
Projected Lineups:
OILERS:
Draisaitl - McDavid - Hyman
Janmark - Nugent-Hopkins -Yamamoto
Foegele - Holloway - Puljujarvi
Kostin - Shore - Ryan
Nurse - Ceci
Kulak - Barrie
Niemelainen - Bouchard
Skinner
STARS:
Preview: (NHL.com)
OILERS vs. STARS
STREAM: 7:30 p.m. MT; televised on Sportsnet One
Oilers Team Scope
The Oilers wrap up their short road trip on Wednesday night at American Airlines Center against the Dallas Stars.
The last time the two teams met was back on Nov. 5 at Rogers Place, where the Stars came out with a big 6-2 win over the Oilers. The game is one that Head Coach Jay Woodcroft doesn't remember fondly.
"We weren't happy with the result that night. I thought that was one of the only eggs we laid all year in terms of effort and execution level," Woodcroft said. "We think we can show a lot better than we did that day. It wasn't our finest hour, but we get another crack at them tomorrow."
The Oilers only two goals came off the sticks of Darnell Nurse and Leon Draisaitl, while Jack Campbell made the start and stopped 30 of 36 shots to take the loss on the evening.
Edmonton will certainly need a better effort against the Central Division leading Stars who also pace all Western Conference teams in goal differential with a plus-27 mark on the season.
The Oilers are coming off three-consecutive losses, with all three game being separated by essentially a coin flip. St. Louis and Nashville both came out on top outside of regulation, while the Ducks overcame a 32 shot deficit to steal the one goal win last Thursday at Roger Place.
"We felt all three of those games were winnable games," Woodcroft said. "We were right there, but it's that one play here or there that we have to make that we haven't been able to do consistently enough."
Stars Team Scope
The Dallas Stars come back home after wrapping up a five-game road trip with a 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.
Emerging superstar Jason Robertson scored what would become the game-winning goal into the empty net with 1:07 left in the contest. The tally was the 23-year-old's 24th goal of the season and 47th point in the first 33 games of 2022-23. Robertson is coming off an outstanding campaign last year where he lead the Stars with 41 goals, while finishing second to Joe Pavelski in points with 79.
"One of the top players in the game obviously, really good from the blue line in," Woodcroft said about the Stars forward. "(He) finds a way to score in multiple different fashions, is dangerous on the power play, dangerous off the rush, and dangerous on the cycle. He plays with two really good players as well and Hintz and Pavelski, that's been one of the top lines, and most consistent lines over the last few years. He's someone that we're going to have to pay attention to, but that whole line is a line that we're going to have to pay attention tomorrow."
The aforementioned Joe Pavelski has been a thorn in Edmonton's side for well over a decade now. The 38-year-old comes into the contest with 31 points (11G, 20A) in 33 games, but he has been an Oilers killer throughout his NHL career with 59 points in 61 games.
Woodcroft is well aware of what the veteran can do, having coached him for years as an San Jose Sharks assistant.
"He's someone who has a true passion for the game. He's someone who works at his craft on a day in, day out basis," Woodcroft said about Pavelski's longevity. "I don't think he's blessed with some of the gifts that other players are blessed with, but what he does have is a desire to be the best that he can be. He's got a real brain to navigate himself all around the rink and he's someone that, as I said, you're going to have to pay attention to, because he can hurt you in different fashions."
By The Numbers
Connor McDavid enters the game with a 13-game point streak registering 29 points (12G, 17A) over that stretch... Tyson Barrie has recorded an assist in in seven-straight games and has 11 assists over that time... The streak is the second-longest-assists streak by a player htis season, only behind Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey... The Oilers have scored 45 goals in the third period of games and have a plus-10 differential in the final frame this season...
Joe Pavelski's 26 goals against the Oilers is the second-most the forward has scored vs. any NHL team... The Oilers are 26-59-4-11 all-time against the Stars... Jamie Benn's 23 goals against the Oilers are the most by the forward against any NHL club... Benn recorded a hat trick against the Oilers back on Nov. 5 at Rogers Place...
Injury Report
OILERS - Oscar Klefbom (shoulder) is on IR; Mike Smith (undisclosed) is on IR; Evander Kane (wrist) is on IR; Ryan McLeod (undisclosed) is on IR; Philip Broberg (undisclosed) is day-to-day; Ryan Murray (undisclosed) is day-to-day.
STARS - Nick Caamano (undisclosed) is on IR.
-- Michael Arcuri, EdmontonOilers.com
Pregame Music:
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