Oilers at Blackhawks
The Edmonton Oilers are winning in every way possible lately whether it be with an offensive explosion or an air-tight defensive effort as they visit the desperate Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Edmonton followed an 8-3 victory at Nashville on Monday with a 2-1 overtime win at Dallas on Tuesday and sits second in the Pacific Division, two points behind Vegas and seven points clear for a Western Conference playoff berth.
"We have to be able to win games like this,'' Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins told the media after recording a goal and an assist Tuesday. "As the rest of the year goes on, we can look back at this game. It was a hard-fought game all the way through. This is a playoff atmosphere, and this was a playoff game. The fact that we can get it done tonight is definitely good for the team." The star of the show for Edmonton has been Leon Draisaitl, whose 108 points lead the league by 13 over teammate Connor McDavid and his 43 goals are fourth. Chicago has won three straight after a 6-2 victory over Anaheim on Tuesday and is six points out of wild-card position with four teams to pass. "We're a pretty streaky team," Dylan Strome told the media about his club, which lost consecutive games three times during a 3-8-2 stretch before the winning streak. "I can't point to one thing. If we can cut the losing steaks in half, we'll be in good shape. Lots of time left."
TIME: 8:30 p.m. ET. TV: NBCS Chicago, Sportsnet West
ABOUT THE OILERS (36-23-8): Draisaitl, who recorded four goals and an assist against Nashville, boasts nine goals and 13 points in his last seven games as the 24-year-old German has emerged as a strong Hart Trophy contender. McDavid owns two goals and 12 assists in six games since missing six with a quad injury. Nugent-Hopkins (20 goals, 58 points) has five goals and nine assists in his last eight contests as the trio combines for 44.8 percent of the club's goals and 45.4 percent of its points.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (30-28-8): Strome scored twice Tuesday to snap a 14-game drought, telling reporters: "It was a long time. … It's nice to get off the schneid tonight and it felt pretty good." Patrick Kane (team-high 80 points) scored his 29th goal of the season Tuesday and shares the club lead with Dominik Kubalik, who paces league rookies by a wide margin. Corey Crawford (.916 save percentage this season) has been in goal for all three games during the winning streak, stopping 111-of-117 shots in allowing two goals in each contest.
OVERTIME
1. Edmonton's league-best power play (29.9 percent) is 5-for-8 in the last three games while Chicago has killed 11-of-11 penalties during that span.
2. The Blackhawks are 14-13-4 at home - tied for the fewest wins in the Western Conference.
3. The clubs have split the first two of three meetings this season with each team scoring six times as Draisaitl provided a goal and four assists in the pair of contests.