Ducks at Oilers
Connor McDavid is the modern-day face of the Edmonton Oilers and the 20-year-old phenom couldn't be happier as the ascending club moved within one point of first place in the Pacific Division. The NHL leader in assists (63) and points (91), McDavid looks to send the red-hot Oilers to their fifth straight victory overall and eighth in a row at Rogers Place on Saturday when they host the Anaheim Ducks.
"It's a good time to be an Oiler," said McDavid, who extended his point streak to nine games (five goals, 11 assists) by scoring his team-best 28th goal and adding an assist in Thursday's 3-2 victory over San Jose. Edmonton has won eight of its last nine contests, with the lone blemish coming despite McDavid collecting a goal and two assists in a 4-3 setback at Anaheim on March 22. Corey Perry was held off the scoresheet in that one, but has since erupted for four goals and an assist during his four-game point streak. The former Hart Trophy winner tallied twice on Thursday, but the Ducks failed to hold a late lead and saw their five-game winning streak and eight-game point run (7-0-1) end with a 4-3 overtime loss in Winnipeg.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, Prime (Anaheim), CBC, Sportsnet (Edmonton), NHL.TV
ABOUT THE DUCKS (42-23-12): Jonathan Bernier's stellar play in net in place of the formerly injured John Gibson could give coach Randy Carlyle food for thought as he enters his first postseason with the club since 2011. The 28-year-old Bernier has boasted a sterling 10-1-2 mark with one shutout and a .941 save percentage in March while Gibson has played just once in the last 39 days. "Obviously, Gibby was our guy and we went with him but he got hurt. He's been out for more than a month and Bernie came in and gave us the same level of goaltending," Carlyle told the Orange County Register. "It's a unique situation to be in, but it's one that I think any coach would take at this juncture, especially this time of the season."
ABOUT THE OILERS (43-25-9): Leon Draisaitl overcame being demoted to the second line on Thursday by setting up Drake Caggiula's game-winning goal and adding an empty-net tally. Like McDavid, the 21-year-old German is also riding a nine-game point streak (four goals, 12 assists) and has dismantled the Ducks to the tune of five goals and one assist in the four meetings this season. Fellow forward Patrick Maroon, who recorded two of his four assists against Anaheim in the most recent encounter, tallied twice versus San Jose to increase his point total to nine (six goals, three assists) in his past nine games.
OVERTIME
1. Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf (team-leading 52 assists, 66 points) has set up six goals versus Edmonton this season, including three in the last encounter.
2. The Oilers' 13th-ranked penalty kill has thwarted each of their last 18 short-handed opportunities over the last seven games.
3. Ducks C Rickard Rakell (club-best 32 goals) has two goals and two assists versus the Oilers this season.