Canucks at Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers hope returning to familiar surroundings translates into a much-needed victory. Edmonton remains in search of its first win of the season as it begins a seven-game homestand Friday against the Vancouver Canucks. The Oilers, who began the campaign with a home loss to Calgary, went 0-2-1 on their recently completed road trip and were outscored 13-5 over the final two contests.
Vancouver returns to action for the first time since Saturday, when it posted a 5-4 shootout victory over Edmonton. It was only the second game of the season for the Canucks, who opened 2014-15 with a 4-2 triumph at Calgary. Chris Higgins scored the lone goal of the shootout while Radim Vrbata and captain Henrik Sedin each recorded a tally and an assist in regulation.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, RSN Pacific (Vancouver), RSN West (Edmonton)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (2-0-0): Vrbata has scored in each of his first two contests with Vancouver. The 33-year-old Czech, who is with his sixth team since making his NHL debut with Colorado in 2001-02, netted the game-winner in his Canucks debut against Calgary after scoring only two such goals in 80 contests with the then-Phoenix Coyotes last season. Vancouver is looking to begin a campaign with three straight wins for the first time since 1999-2000.
ABOUT THE OILERS (0-3-1): Taylor Hall was the lone bright spot for Edmonton in Wednesday's 7-4 loss at Arizona, scoring two goals and setting up another. Leon Draisaitl recorded his first NHL point with an assist on defenseman Mark Fayne's tally. The 18-year-old German center, who had a woeful minus-3 rating in Tuesday's 6-1 loss at Los Angeles, was drafted third overall this past June.
OVERTIME
1. Oilers D Darnell Nurse, the seventh overall selection in the 2013 draft, is minus-2 with two shots on goal in his first two NHL games.
2. Thursday marked the 14-year anniversary of Sedin's first career goal.
3. Edmonton captain Andrew Ference is the lone member of the team who has played in all four games and not registered a point.