Wild at Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers face a tall order Tuesday as they attempt to extend a pair of streaks when they host the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Wild. Edmonton entered the All-Star break with an eight-game point streak (7-0-1) after posting a 4-1 victory at San Jose on Thursday that completed a sweep of a three-game road trip during which it outscored its opponents 15-4.
All-Star Connor McDavid scored a goal and set up another in the win to increase his league-leading point total to 59 - four better than Pittsburgh superstar Sidney Crosby. Minnesota begins a four-game road trip in search of its third consecutive triumph after rolling past St. Louis 5-1 on Thursday. The Wild own a four-point lead over Central Division-rival Chicago for the top spot in the West, earning at least one in 10 of their 12 games this month (9-2-1). Minnesota defeated Edmonton twice over a six-day span in early December, recording an overtime victory on the road and a shootout triumph at home.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN North, FSN Wisconsin (Minnesota), Sportsnet West (Edmonton)
ABOUT THE WILD (32-11-5): Mikael Granlund recorded a goal and an assist in the win over the Blues to extend his point streak to nine games and overtake Eric Staal (41) for the team scoring lead with 42 - two shy of his career high, which he set in 82 contests last season. The 24-year-old Finn, who also tops the club with 30 assists, has scored two goals and set up nine others during his run. Veteran Jason Pominville also is wielding a hot stick, notching two tallies and five assists on his five-game point streak.
ABOUT THE OILERS (28-15-8): McDavid, who also tops the NHL with 42 assists, had an eventful All-Star weekend - the first of what figures to be many in his career. The 20-year-old captain won the Fastest Skater event at the Skills Competition with a time of 13.310 seconds and recorded a goal and two assists in the Pacific Division's 10-3 victory over the Central before netting a tally in a 4-3 loss to the Metropolitan in the final. McDavid (three goals, six assists) and Leon Draisaitl (three, five) both entered the break with a six-game point streak, with the latter leading the team in goals with 19.
OVERTIME
1. Oilers C Mark Letestu is one of seven members of the team with a double-digit goal total as he has matched last season's total of 10, which he registered in 82 games.
2. Minnesota All-Star G Devan Dubnyk allowed five goals on 11 shots in the Central's loss to the Pacific while D Ryan Suter posted a minus-3 rating in 5 minutes, 58 seconds of ice time.
3. Letestu is three assists shy of 100 for his career while Edmonton LW Matt Hendricks is three points away from the century mark.