Oilers at Predators
Milan Lucic and the Edmonton Oilers enjoyed numerous positive memories during last season's breakout campaign, but the hurrahs have been few and far between in 2017-18. Losers of the first two contests of their five-game road trip and six of seven overall, the Oilers look to turn around their fortunes on Tuesday against a team that has defeated them 10 straight times in the Nashville Predators.
"We have to find a way to start having fun again," Lucic told the Edmonton Journal following Sunday's 4-1 setback to Chicago. "I don't think anyone is having fun right now. I think I'm speaking for everyone from the coaching staff to the trainers, the fans, everyone. Nobody is having fun right now." The Oilers have been outscored 20-3 in their last five games, and their 22nd-ranked offense and 31st-ranked penalty kill didn't help matters in their 4-0 loss to Nashville on Dec. 14. Roman Josi scored a power-play goal in that contest and also tallied in the Predators' 4-3 win over Los Angeles on Saturday. Fellow defenseman P.K. Subban set up Josi's goal versus Nashville and had two assists against the Kings to reside one point shy of 350 for his career.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet (Edmonton), TVAS
ABOUT THE OILERS (18-22-3): General manager Peter Chiarelli gave coach Todd McLellan somewhat of a vote of confidence with the team spiraling in the standings. "I have no intentions of firing Todd," Chiarelli told Sportsnet. "I want to work with the coach, and I think he's a very good coach. As far as Todd goes, and (his staff), I am not considering firing them. At this point we're going to solve it together." Edmonton has languished in the standings this season after earning a playoff berth for the first time since 2006 in 2016-17.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (24-11-6): While Kyle Turris has been music to the ears of the Nashville faithful since being acquired in a three-team trade, he has also provided Edmonton with sour notes on two occasions with two different clubs this season. The 28-year-old scored two goals and set up another in Ottawa's 6-1 rout on Oct. 14 before donning a Predators jersey with a goal and an assist against the Oilers last month. Turris increased his point total to 19 (five goals, 14 assists) by setting up Josi's goal against the Kings to give Nashville its third win in nine outings (3-4-2).
OVERTIME
1. Nashville G Pekka Rinne owns an 18-6-1 mark with four shutouts and a .915 save percentage in 28 career appearances versus Edmonton.
2. The Oilers failed on all three power-play opportunities versus the Predators in the first encounter to begin a stretch of going 3-for-34 with the man advantage in their last 12 games.
3. The 2017 Indy Car series champion and Hendersonville native Josef Newgarden will serve as the official towel waver at Tuesday's game.