Canucks at Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers look to end their lengthy homestand on a winning note as they host the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. Edmonton began its season-high seven-game stretch at Rexall Place with a 2-0 loss to Vancouver before reeling off four consecutive victories. The winning came to an end Wednesday as the Oilers dropped a 4-1 decision to Nashville, with Taylor Hall accounting for the club's lone goal.
Vancouver already has defeated Edmonton twice this season, including a shootout triumph at home on Oct. 11. The Canucks enter this matchup with a winning streak that reached three games with a 3-2 overtime victory over Montreal on Thursday, as Daniel Sedin scored a power-play goal 2:45 into the extra session after the club squandered a two-goal lead in the latter half of the third period. Vancouver will have to extend its streak without Alex Burrows, who received a three-game suspension for his check to the head of Montreal's Alexei Emelin on Thursday.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, CBC, TVA
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (7-3-0): Burrows claimed he was just trying to finish his check when he delivered a shoulder to Emelin's head, and general manager Jim Benning believed there was no intent on his player's part. "He tried to hit shoulder-to-shoulder, Emelin lost his balance and what started as a shoulder-to-shoulder hit, he ended up clipping him in the head," Benning explained. "Hockey's a fast game and those things are going to happen. There's nothing we can do about it."
ABOUT THE OILERS (4-5-1): Hall's goal on Wednesday was his team-leading sixth of the season - twice as many as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who is second on the club. Edmonton outscored its opponents 15-7 during its winning streak but totaled just one goal in its two losses during the homestand. Viktor Fasth has recovered from his groin injury and likely will serve as Ben Scrivens' backup against Vancouver, while defenseman Nikita Nikitin could return after missing two games with back spasms.
OVERTIME
1. Vancouver is coming off a perfect three-game homestand during which it outscored its opponents 10-5.
2. All four of Edmonton's wins have come against Eastern Conference teams. The club is 0-5-1 versus the West.
3. Canucks G Ryan Miller's next victory will tie him with Turk Broda (302) for 27th place on the all-time list.