Oilers at Blackhawks
The Edmonton Oilers have dropped four straight games, and the schedule does not do them any favors as they begin a difficult three-game road trip against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Edmonton is second in the league in shots per game at 41.2 but has managed just 11 goals after suffering a 5-3 loss on Tuesday despite outshooting Carolina 51-21.
“Careless mistakes that weren’t in our game all season long last year,” Oilers left wing Milan Lucic told the Edmonton Sun. “With all the video and the coaches harping on us, it seems we’re still making the same ones. It’s on the players to make it right. It’s like we’re in quicksand. The harder we try, the deeper we get.” Edmonton will try to avoid miscues against one of the most lethal offenses in the league, although the Blackhawks have recorded just six goals while going 1-2-0 over their last three games, including a rough 5-2 loss at St. Louis on Wednesday. Ryan Hartman scored a goal and Patrick Kane set up one as the duo took over the scoring lead for Chicago with nine points apiece. "That was a bad start, a bad middle," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville told reporters after Wednesday's loss. "That's as close to brutal as you can get."
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Edmonton), WGN (Chicago)
ABOUT THE OILERS (1-4-0): Reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid has not scored a goal since recording a hat trick in the season opener but has notched three assists. Cam Talbot was rested in the loss to Carolina after struggling since the 3-0 shutout against Calgary, allowing 12 goals on 73 shots over his last three outings while getting pulled twice. Leon Draisaitl (concussion) and Drake Caggiula (undisclosed) are not expected to play Thursday, but coach Todd McLellan told reporters both could return to the lineup on the road trip that includes games at Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (4-2-1): Brandon Saad was kept off the scoresheet against St. Louis on Wednesday but leads the way with six goals in his return to Chicago after spending two seasons in Columbus. The Blackhawks recorded two power-play goals in the third period (Hartman, Richard Panik) against the Blues after going 4-for-27 with the man advantage over the season's first six contests. The best news out of Wednesday's loss was the return of Nick Schmaltz, who was back after missing four games with an upper-body injury and finished with one shot in 18 minutes, 7 seconds of ice time.
OVERTIME
1. Kane has torched Edmonton for 13 goals, including six on the power play, and 33 assists in 34 career contests.
2. The Oilers are just 3-for-19 on the power play and rank last in the league in penalty-killing (68.2 percent).
3. The Blackhawks have won five of the last seven meetings, but Edmonton took two of three last season.