Oilers at Kings
Being kept off the scoresheet twice in a three-game span constitutes a slump for reigning two-time Art Ross Trophy winner Connor McDavid. The Edmonton Oilers captain has put that brief funk behind him and looks to extend his point streak to six games when his team visits the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
McDavid began the season with a five-game point streak and followed one scoreless outing with an eight-game run before recording just one assist over a three-game stretch from Nov. 6-11. The 21-year-old is back to terrorizing opposing goaltenders, however, as he has scored three goals and set up six others during his current streak after notching an assist in Friday's 2-1 overtime loss at Anaheim. The Kings are in the midst of a home losing streak that reached five games with Saturday's 4-2 setback against Vancouver. Los Angeles, which hasn't won at Staples Center since Nov. 6 against the Ducks, has been outscored 20-7 during its slide at home.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Edmonton), FS West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE OILERS (10-10-2): Edmonton is 1-0-1 on its three-game road trip, which also kicked off the Ken Hitchcock era as the third-winningest coach in NHL history took over for the fired Todd McLellan hours before Tuesday's 4-3 overtime win at San Jose. Leon Draisaitl was held in check by the Ducks, ending the four-game point streak during which the 23-year-old German collected three goals and six assists. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has scored in back-to-back games, giving him three goals in his last five contests - the same amount he recorded over his first 17 games.
ABOUT THE KINGS (7-14-1): After taking five games to find his footing, Matt Luff is beginning to prove he belongs in the NHL. An undrafted right wing who is in the final year of a three-year contract, the 21-year-old tallied against the Canucks and brings a three-game goal-scoring streak into the contest versus Edmonton. Captain Anze Kopitar notched an assist on Saturday, giving him points in three of his last four games, but remains four goals shy of 300 for his career.
OVERTIME
1. Oilers D Chris Wideman, who was acquired from Ottawa on Thursday after notching two goals and three assists in 19 games with the Senators, hopes to make his team debut on Sunday.
2. Los Angeles LW Ilya Kovalchuk leads the team with 14 points but has been kept off the scoresheet in eight consecutive contests.
3. Edmonton recalled RW Jesse Puljujarvi, who recorded one goal in 11 games with the team earlier this season, from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League.