Oilers at Wild
Connor McDavid has been as good as advertised since the Edmonton Oilers selected the 18-year-old with the top overall pick of the 2015 draft. With four goals and as many assists during his five-game point streak, McDavid will look to snap the Oilers' two-game skid when they visit the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.
"He's dangerous every time he's on the ice," Edmonton coach Todd McLellan told reporters on the heels of McDavid notching an assist in his team's 3-2 setback to Los Angeles on Sunday. "I think he's getting much wiser to the pace and what he can and can't get away with. It's fun to watch him. He energizes a lot of our players right now." Justin Fontaine has been energized of late, setting up a goal in Minnesota's 3-0 victory over Anaheim on Saturday before scoring one in a 5-4 setback to Winnipeg the following night. Fontaine recorded two goals and an assist as the Wild took two of three from the Oilers last season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, RSNO (Edmonton), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE OILERS (3-6-0): Defenseman Justin Schultz was absent from Monday's practice after sustaining an undisclosed injury against the Kings. "He's an important piece now and for our potential success going forward," McLellan told the team's website of Schultz, who is listed as day-to-day. "We'd like to see him healthy soon and back as quickly as possible." Speaking of blue-liners, Edmonton recalled Darnell Nurse from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League and placed fellow defenseman Griffin Reinhart (undisclosed) on injured reserve.
ABOUT THE WILD (5-2-1): Vezina Trophy finalist and former Oiler Devan Dubnyk told reporters that he is nursing a sore knee, but has been informed that he is able to play without worsening the injury. "I'm told that I'm not supposed to be worried about it," coach Mike Yeo told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "I talked with him earlier, and he said he's feeling it a little bit but it shouldn't be a problem, and I've been assured it shouldn't be a problem." Dubnyk relieved Darcy Kuemper after the latter yielded four goals in a little over a period in the loss to the Jets.
OVERTIME
1. Edmonton G Cam Talbot has split a pair of career decisions versus Minnesota despite stopping 48-of-51 shots.
2. Wild LW Zach Parise has a team-high seven goals in 2015-16, but did not tally in any of the three meetings with the Oilers last season.
3. The road team has won each of the last five games in the series.