Oilers at Kings
The Edmonton Oilers have crawled back to within one win of the NHL's version of .500 after a sterling 5-1-1 mark in their last seven games, with captain Connor McDavid shouldering the load over the last two contests. McDavid and the Oilers look to keep streaking on Wednesday when the team opens a three-game trek through California with a date against the Los Angeles Kings.
"It seems like he is from another planet. It is not fair, really," Leon Draisaitl said of the reigning Hart Trophy recipient, who followed up a two-goal performance in a 4-3 overtime loss to Colorado on Thursday by scoring a career-high four goals and setting up another in a 6-2 romp over Tampa Bay on Monday. McDavid has 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in his last eight contests while Draisaitl has been doing just fine in his own right with 12 (two goals, 10 assists) in that stretch. The two joined the rest of their mates by being blanked by Jonathan Quick, who made 32 saves in Los Angeles' 5-0 rout over Edmonton on Jan. 2. The Kings netminder has watched backup Darcy Kuemper record back-to-back shutouts, with the latter turning aside 28 shots in a 3-0 win at Dallas last Tuesday before improving to 8-1-3 on the season following a 27-save performance in a 6-0 romp over Arizona on Saturday.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Edmonton), FS West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE OILERS (23-24-4): Ryan Strome set up a pair of goals in the first period against the Lightning to give him five assists in his past three games. Cam Talbot benefited from the increase in offense and turned aside 32 shots on Monday to improve his save percentage to .917 over his past five games (4-1-0). The 30-year-old workhorse netminder welcomed the goal support, as he has permitted two goals or more in nine straight outings.
ABOUT THE KINGS (28-19-5): Captain Anze Kopitar increased his point total to 15 (three goals, 12 assists) in his last 13 games after scoring and setting up a goal against Arizona. The 30-year-old Slovene, who reached the 20-goal plateau for the ninth time in his career, ignited a three-goal surge during a lengthy power-play opportunity to propel Los Angeles in its rout of Edmonton in the first encounter. Dustin Brown and Adrian Kempe also tallied during that stretch with the man advantage versus the Oilers, and each collected a goal and an assist as the Kings posted their fourth win in six outings with a convincing victory over the Coyotes.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles D Jake Muzzin, who had an assist in the first meeting with Edmonton, has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in his last 12 contests.
2. The Oilers are embarking on a stretch in which they play 12 games in the next 21 days.
3. Kings C Alex Iafallo has recorded three goals and two assists in his last seven contests.