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TALE OF THE TAPE:

Game: Edmonton Oilers (30-41-7, 67 pts. 4-6 in their last 10) vs Anaheim Ducks (41-23-10, 92 pts. 4-4-2 in their last 10)

Location: Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta

Time: 7:00 PM MT

Where to find it: TV: SNW – Radio: 630 CHED

Edmonton Oilers Preview:

 

Last night, it was released in the media that Nail Yakupov had asked for a trade from the Edmonton Oilers prior to this year’s trade deadline. This news didn’t come as a huge shocker, as it was quite apparent that the Oilers would look to move on from him this offseason.

While it may have not been a formal request for a trade, the Oilers did grant Yakupov’s agent Igor Larionov permission to seek other options. Larionov later said there were “six or seven” teams about Nail Yakupov.

It’s all foggy right now. I’m in a blur. As I had wrote on twitter last night, it’s disappointing to see a situation like this to occur. It’s never in anyone’s best interest for these trade talks to come out in the public but yet here we are.

After Nail had a fantastic rookie season that saw him produce 17 goals and 14 assists for a total of 31 points in the lockout shortened 2012-2013 season, I thought we were in for a treat.

Here came in with elite offensive talent with a rifle of a shot and the ability to fly around the ice. A few coaching staffs later, Nail could find himself on the out. Should a trade come, I hope Nail the best. He is a great young man and I am sure he will find his way in the NHL soon.

When the Oilers came into this three game California road trip, I thought that if the team were to go .500 and play tight in the games I would consider that successful. Heading into tonight’s matchup with the Anaheim Ducks, taking them to overtime would all it would need to take to make my hopes come true.

The Oilers undoubtedly struggled Saturday night against a high-powered LA Kings roster that is bound to make a deep playoff push. Now tonight, the team faces much of the same squaring off against a Anaheim Ducks team nipping at the heels of the LA Kings for the Western Conference lead.

Tonight, the Oilers hope can take down the Ducks with Cam Talbot behind the net. In three career games against the Ducks, he is 0-2-1 with a 2.01 GAA and a .939 sv%.

On top of that, Patrick Maroon will play his first game against his former team. Since his acquisition at the trade deadline, he has been a catalyst for the Oilers scoring 11 points in 12 games. Things have really clicked for the Big Rig in Edmonton since his arrival. His big body play has allowed for Connor McDavid and Jordan Eberle to get more space on the ice.

This was apparent during the games against the Sharks and the Kings in which he was able to score five points against those big teams. The fact that the Anaheim Ducks ate $500 000 worth of his $2 mil contract make this deal all the more sweet.

I wish there was an entire team of Patrick Maroons. That would be awesome. #SwoonForMaroon

Predictions for tonight:

1. Maroon continues his point streak, notching 1G and 1A against his old team.
2. Taylor Hall and Leon Draisaitl, who have slowed down as of late, accumulate for 3 points tonight.
3. Cam Talbot doesn’t get the shutout, but he plays above his head like normal and keeps the Oilers in the game all night long.

Last games predictions: 

1. Oilers win 3-2 in OT.
2. Connor McDavid scores the game-winning goal.
3. The Oilers come out and play a very physical game, and there are two fights in the game.

Ducks Preview:
Anaheim was off on Sunday and concludes a five-game road trip in Edmonton; they are 2-1-1 following a 4-3 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday in which they were down 3-0 in the third period. “Everyone stuck together,” defenseman Hampus Lindholm told the Ducks website. “[Getzlaf] had a little speech in the locker room [after the second period]. He had good words for us to get us going. We came out and played the way we should’ve from the start.” Anaheim has the League’s best power play at 23.7 percent and scored the winner with the man-advantage in overtime. “Every time our power play goes onto the ice, I think they’re going to have a chance to score,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “That’s a good feeling. … We knew we had the rest of the game on the power play, so we wanted to take our time and make the right play.” The Ducks have clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and are three points behind the Los Angeles Kings for first place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand. Andersen started the past two games, so John Gibson could be in net.

— NHL.com

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Line Combos and Starting Goalies:

Oilers (Laurent Brossoit):

Taylor Hall – Leon Draisaitl – Nail Yakupov
Patrick Maroon – Connor McDavid – Jordan Eberle
Lauri Korpikoski – Mark Letestu – Zack Kassian
Adam Cracknell – Matt Hendricks – Iiro Pakairnen

Andrej Sekera – Mark Fayne
Jordan Oesterle – Griffin Reinhart
Darnell Nurse – Adam Clendening

EDM Injuries: Oscar Klefbom (leg infection), Andrew Ference (hip), Eric Gryba (knee), Benoit Pouliot (shoulder), Brandon Davidson (knee), Adam Pardy (hand), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (concussion).

Anaheim Ducks (John Gibson):

Brandon Pirri – Ryan Getzlaf – Chris Stewart
Jamie McGinn – Rickard Rakell – Corey Perry
Andrew Cogliano – Shawn Horcoff – Jakob Silfverberg
Nick Ritchie – Nate Thompson – Ryan Garbutt

Cam Fowler – Korbinian Holzer
Hampus Lindholm – Josh Manson
Clayton Stoner – Shea Theodore

Any ideas on how to improve my game previews? Send me an email at zjlaing@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter.

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TALE OF THE TAPE:

Game: Edmonton Oilers (22-29-6) vs Anaheim Ducks (28-19-8)

Location: Rexall Place, Edmonton

Time: 7:00 PM MT

Where to find it: TV: Sportsnet West – Radio: 630 CHED

 

Edmonton Oilers Preview:

Another night, another game where the Oilers have it tough.

The Ducks have miraculously turned their season around after there were early talks this year of the team firing Bruce Boudreau. That seems almost foolish now given the fact that the team has gone 16-4-3 in their last 23 games, including a 9-1-1 tear in their last 11.

Playing a defence first style of play this season, the Oilers will be faced with the tough task of scoring goals. Now, the Pouliot – McDavid – Eberle line has had no issue with this, but there has been a real lack of scoring from the rest of the team post all star break.

Call it what you will, but the rest of the team needs to step up and tonight would be a great night to do so. The Oilers and Ducks have split the season series 1-1 so far this year. The Oilers won 4-3 in OT on Nov. 11 while the Ducks pulled out a 1-0 shutout victory on Dec. 31.

There seems to be another flu bug in the locker room and there is an undisclosed forward feeling the effects of the bug going around in the room. Given that, Coach McLellan feels there is a possibility Anton Lander sees the ice for his first game since the team went on the all-star break.

“A confident game,” said McLellan of [Lander’s] expectations. “I sat with Anton and we talked about his year. We were told he was a slow starter. He had a great training camp. He came out of that training camp and we put him in situations where we thought he could succeed, as high as the third-line centre and on the power play. Things didn’t happen for him. OK, now let’s check, let’s become a good penalty killer. He accepted that role but there’s still more there. We took him out for individual games, gave him a little wake-up call and now it’s been an extended period. How does he respond? Play hard, play confident, play like he can, and prove to himself, his teammates and us he’s a full-time NHL player.”

Man, Todd really is a great coach. I am really excited to see how Anton responds tonight.

With just two points in 48 games this year, the team needs more offensive production out of him. If he were to return to near the player he was last year offensively where he scored 20 points in 38 games, we are laughing.

After missing Sunday night’s game with the flu, Cam Talbot is back in net for the Oilers.

 

Predictions for tonight:

1. Lander returns in a big way.
2. Taylor Hall, who has gone goalless in his last four, scores two goals tonight.
3. CAM TALBOT SHUTOUT

Ducks Preview: Goalie John Gibson, who sustained an upper-body injury on Saturday and did not dress in a 6-4 win against the Calgary Flames on Monday, remains day-to-day and could start. Frederik Andersen started and Anton Khudobin was the backup on Monday. If Gibson can’t go, Andersen, who made 33 saves Monday, will likely start. The Ducks continue a season-high seven-game road trip (3-1-1), which concludes at the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. Anaheim has won nine of 11 games (9-1-1). “It’s great to score goals and all, but we’re going to win by playing good defense,” coach Bruce Boudreau told the Ducks website. “I thought we made some bad reads today, especially coming back into the zone. The gaps were way too big. It’s great to score goals – and have the ability to score goals – but we have to defend to win.” – nhl.com

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Line Combos and Starting Goalies c/o Left Wing Lock:

Oilers (Cam Talbot):

Benoit Pouliot – Connor McDavid – Jordan Eberle
Taylor Hall – Mark Letestu – Zack Kassian
Iiro Pakarinen – Leon Draisaitl – Teddy Purcell
Nail Yakupov – Matt Hendricks – Lauri Korpikoski

Andrej Sekera – Justin Schultz
Darnell Nurse – Mark Fayne
Brandon Davidson – Eric Gryba

EDM Injuries: Oscar Klefbom (undisclosed), Andrew Ference (hip), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (hand)

Scratched: Adam Clendening, Anton Lander

Anaheim Ducks (Fredrik Anderson):

David Perron – Ryan Getzlaf – Mike Santorelli
Nick Ritchie – Rickard Rakell – Corey Perry
Andrew Cogliano – Ryan Kelser – Jakob Silfverberg
Patrick Maroon – Nate Thompson – Ryan Garbutt

Cam Fowler – Kevin Bieksa
Hampus Lindholm – Josh Manson
Simon Despres – Sami Vatanen

Any ideas on how to improve my game previews? Send me an email at zjlaing@gmail.com.

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