Red Wings at Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers look to build off one of their best performances during a disappointing start to the season when they host the struggling Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon. The Oilers finished the first month of the season with a 3-6-1 record and lost their November opener to Pittsburgh on Wednesday before getting goals from six different players en route to a 6-3 victory over New Jersey two days later.
“(Friday) was the first night in a while that we had everyone going and all the lines playing well, and playing the right way,” Edmonton captain Connor McDavid told reporters after registering three assists in the win. “We were rewarded, so it’s good to see.” The Oilers have yet to win back-to-back games and hope to take advantage of the Red Wings, who are 2-6-1 since starting the campaign with four wins in five contests. Detroit managed 12 goals in those six regulation losses and rank 27th in the league in scoring (2.57 tallies per contest) through Friday’s action. “We’ve got to get more net presence and make sure we are shooting the puck,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill told the Detroit Free Press. “You’ve got to score. We have to find a way. Again, that’s the league. It’s like this every single night, and we have to find a way. We are going to help ourselves by scoring more. That’s just a fact.”
TV: 4 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, Sportsnet West (Edmonton)
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (6-7-1): Anthony Mantha has tallied in back-to-back games and recorded at least one point in three straight to move into third place on the team in scoring with 11 points. Dylan Larkin leads the way with 13 points - four in his last three contests - while defenseman Mike Green has notched 12 - but just one in his last five contests after posting an assist in Thursday’s 3-1 loss at Ottawa. Jimmy Howard (5-5-0 overall) has played well while starting each of the last six games, allowing 11 goals in the last five, but is expected to give way to backup Petr Mrazek (1-2-1, .901 save percentage) on Sunday.
ABOUT THE OILERS (4-7-1): Milan Lucic and Ryan Strome each scored their second goal while Drake Caggiula and Oscar Klefbom both registered their first of the season in the win over New Jersey. “What was nice to see was some of the unusual suspects getting on the scoresheet,” Edmonton coach Todd McLellan told reporters. “Their confidence level should go up a little bit and all three lines … played well and the utility guys pitched in when they needed to.” McDavid leads the team with 16 points and has notched at least one in five straight, including five assists over his last two contests.
OVERTIME
1. Detroit C Frans Nielsen, who has gone three games without a point, is scheduled to play in his 700th NHL contest Sunday.
2. Edmonton D Adam Larsson registered 13 hits in the victory over New Jersey and led the NHL with 57 through Friday’s games.
3. The Oilers are 3-0-1 against the Red Wings in the last four meetings, including a 4-3 win at home last season.