Red Wings at Oilers
After breaking even on their six-game road trip, the Edmonton Oilers attempt to strengthen their hold on a playoff spot when they begin an eight-game homestand Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings. Edmonton edged St. Louis 2-1 on Tuesday to conclude its 3-3-0 trek and enters the matchup against Detroit third in the Pacific Division — two points ahead of Calgary.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid is riding a four-game point streak that has increased his season total to 72 — three more than Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. Detroit continues its five-game road trip that started Tuesday with a 3-2 overtime victory in Vancouver and continued with an identical defeat at Calgary three nights later. Tomas Tatar scored his 15th goal in the setback against the Flames, tying him with the recently departed Thomas Vanek for the team lead. The Red Wings escaped the Eastern Conference basement by earning the point in Calgary and are 10 behind the New York Islanders for the second wild-card spot with 20 games remaining.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, CBC (Edmonton)
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (25-26-11): Henrik Zetterberg notched an assist against the Flames to extend his point streak to five games. The 36-year-old captain, who has collected one goal and seven assists during his run, has landed on the scoresheet in 11 of his last 13 contests. Jimmy Howard (knee) practiced with Detroit on Friday and is expected to begin a conditioning stint with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League on Saturday.
ABOUT THE OILERS (34-22-8): Edmonton is hoping David Desharnais will rediscover his scoring touch with a change of scenery. The 30-year-old center, who was acquired from Montreal on Tuesday, was kept off the scoresheet in his last five games with the Canadiens and registered only four goals and six assists over 31 contests this season. Leon Draisaitl leads the club with a career-high 23 goals but has recorded only one over his last six games.
OVERTIME
1. Tatar needs five goals to reach 20 for the third consecutive season.
2. Edmonton C Mark Letestu, who leads the team with six game-winners, is one goal shy of matching the career high of 14 he set with Pittsburgh in 2010-11.
3. Detroit D Niklas Kronwall's next assist will be the 300th of his career.