Oilers at Rangers
The New York Rangers came away with their first win of the season last time out, and the Edmonton Oilers look to do the same when they visit Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon. New York dropped its first three contests before edging San Jose in overtime on Thursday in the opener of its three-game homestand.
The Rangers received two goals from their blue line in the 3-2 triumph, including one by Brady Skjei 37 seconds into the extra session that gave David Quinn his first victory as an NHL coach. Edmonton began the campaign with a loss to New Jersey in Sweden before falling 4-1 at Boston on Thursday in the second contest of its season-opening four-game road trip. Two-time reigning Art Ross Trophy winner Connor McDavid has had a hand in every goal for the Oilers in 2018-19, netting the lone tally versus the Bruins after setting up both scores in last Saturday's 5-2 setback against the Devils. The 21-year-old captain has recorded back-to-back 100-point seasons, earning the Ted Lindsay Award in both campaigns while capturing the Hart Trophy following his effort in 2016-17.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Edmonton), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE OILERS (0-2-0): While McDavid leads the team with three points, Leon Draisaitl and Milan Lucic have two apiece after each registered a goal and an assist against New Jersey. Lucic, who last campaign recorded his lowest point total (34) in a full 82-game season since notching 20 in 50 contests with Boston in 2009-10, is closing in on some milestones as he is seven goals shy of 200 and 10 assists away from 300. Defenseman Darnell Nurse, who picked up an assist versus Boston, will skate in his 200th NHL contest on Saturday.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (1-3-0): Despite losing his first two starts of the season, Henrik Lundqvist has been solid in the early going as he has allowed only six goals on 103 shots in three outings. The 36-year-old Swede is five victories away from tying Hall of Famer Jacques Plante (437) for seventh place on the all-time list and three shutouts shy of pulling even with Patrick Roy (66) for 15th all-time. Skjei has had some memorable games against Edmonton at home, making his NHL debut in the meeting between the teams on Dec. 15, 2015 while recording his first career multi-point performance (two assists) in their contest on Nov. 3, 2016.
OVERTIME
1. Rangers RW Jesper Fast leads the team with four points and has collected 16 in his last 16 games dating back to last season.
2. McDavid has scored a goal against every team except New Jersey and Winnipeg, which hosts Edmonton on Tuesday.
3. New York has won five straight meetings between the clubs while each of the last eight have been decided by fewer than three goals.