Oilers at Panthers
The Edmonton Oilers visit the Florida Panthers on Saturday hoping to improve their dismal road record. The Oilers are 2-12-7 away from Edmonton and have not won a road game since Nov. 9. Florida has fallen out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture with losses in its last two games.
The Panthers visited Edmonton on Sunday and won 4-2, starting a three-game skid for the Oilers. Edmonton won its previous five meetings with Florida, but each road victory required overtime or a shootout. Panthers netminder Roberto Luongo and Oilers netminder Ben Scrivens are expected to start for their respective teams.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, Fox Sports Florida
ABOUT THE OILERS (10-26-9): Benoit Pouliot has scored Edmonton’s last five goals and has six in his last four games. Derek Roy saw his three-game point streak come to an end Thursday in a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Taylor Hall has points in five of his last six games, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has not scored since Dec. 30.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (20-13-9): Rookie defenseman Aaron Ekblad has 25 points - one behind Nick Bjugstad for the team lead. Veteran Shawn Thornton is skating with healthy scratches Brandon Pirri and Vincent Trocheck while he continues to recover from a groin injury. Aleksander Barkov has a goal and an assist in two games since returning from the flu.
OVERTIME
1. Florida is 7-2-1 against Pacific Division opponents.
2. Edmonton is 6-for-56 on road power-play opportunities.
3. Luongo is 27-12-3 against the Oilers in his career.