Oilers at Canadiens
The Edmonton Oilers have been among the league's biggest underachievers this season but they will kick off a three-game road trip at a venue where they have had surprising success of late. Coming off yet another disappointing performance at home, Edmonton attempts to generate some momentum when it visits the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
The Oilers own the second-worst record in the Western Conference and are a dreadful 5-9-0 on home ice, but they have won five of their last six visits to Montreal. Edmonton also has won three of its past four on the road, including a 7-5 victory Saturday at Calgary, which knocked off the Canadiens in overtime on Thursday night. The 3-2 setback to the Flames was the second loss in a row following a five-game winning streak for Montreal, which will receive the expected return of Jonathan Drouin to the lineup. Drouin, who has centered the team's top line, missed the past four games due to injury and illness.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVAS
ABOUT THE OILERS (11-15-2): Forward Nathan Walker and defenseman Jeff Davidson, recent waiver-wire acquisitions, are expected to join the lineup on the road trip to provide "some new energy," Edmonton defenseman Oscar Klefbom said. Davidson, traded by the Oilers to Montreal at last season's trade deadline, is especially eager to face the team that waived him a week ago. "I think that I have something to prove, maybe a little bit, but I'm excited to get into a game first and foremost," Davidson said after Friday's practice.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (13-13-4): Drouin, in his first season with Montreal, had two goals and two assists during a three-game point streak prior to the injury, which was followed by a bout with the flu that he said caused him to lose six pounds. Drouin went through a full practice Friday and skated on a slightly reconfigured unit with Andrew Shaw joining him and regular linemate Alex Galchenyuk. The Montreal Gazette noted a reason for the change could be Drouin's 40.8 faceoff percentage, compared to Shaw's 54.8.
OVERTIME
1. Canadiens G Carey Price will make his eighth consecutive start since returning from injury.
2. Oilers captain Connor McDavid has two assists in four games against Montreal.
3. Canadiens F Daniel Carr has six points in four games since he was summoned from Laval of the American Hockey League.