Oilers at Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens continue their pursuit of the top record in the Eastern Conference when they host the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. The Canadiens have won three in a row and eight of 10 to close within one point of Tampa Bay for first place in the Atlantic Division with three games in hand. Montreal, which is in the midst of a rugged stretch featuring nine games in 15 days, was blanked at Edmonton 3-0 on Oct. 27 and has lost five of seven in the series.
The Canadiens are coming off a 2-1 overtime win over Philadelphia on Tuesday, their fifth one-goal decision in the past nine games. The Oilers have dropped two of three on their six-game road trip following a 3-2 setback at the New York Islanders and are in another offensive rut, generating only five goals in the past four contests. The matchup features the Nos. 1 and 3 picks from the 2012 draft in Edmonton's Nail Yakupov and Montreal's Alex Galchenyuk.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, RSW (Edmonton), RDS (Montreal)
ABOUT THE OILERS (15-31-9): Edmonton has not received the expected bang from its buck from Yakupov, who has a goal and an assist in the past two games - the first time he's registered points in consecutive games since Nov. 6-7. Anton Lander scored a goal against the Islanders, giving him five points in eight games after he managed only one assist in 27 contests last season. “If you work hard enough, you’re going to get your chances," Lander said. "I’m happy where I’m at right now, but I want to get better and I want to win hockey games."
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (35-15-3): David Desharnais, named the NHL's Third Star of the Week on Monday, continued his strong play by scoring the game-winning goal in OT against Philadelphia. Goaltender Carey Price earned his 30th victory - second in the league to Nashville's Pekka Rinne - but has only one win and a 3.71 goals-against average in seven starts versus Edmonton so backup Dustin Tokarski will be in net Thursday. Tokarsi, who took the loss against the Oilers in October, has allowed at least three goals in five of his last six starts.
OVERTIME
1. Desharnais is riding a five-game point streak.
2. Oilers G Viktor Fasth, who has never faced the Canadiens, has lost three straight starts.
3. Montreal is 3-for-19 on the power play over the past seven games but all three tallies came on three attempts versus New Jersey.