Preview: Blues vs. Oilers
by Chris Pinkert / Notes by Brett Barczewski
BLUES VS. OILERS
When: Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Watch: FOX Sports Midwest, FOX Sports GO
Listen: 101 ESPN, NHL App
Tickets: Enterprise Center Box Office or online at ticketmaster.com
TEAM SNAPSHOTS
BLUES David Perron's fifth-career hat trick - and goals from Vince Dunn and Jordan Kyrou - propelled the St. Louis Blues to a 5-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday in a battle for first place in the Western Conference.
The win gave the Blues a three-point lead atop the West and snapped Colorado's nine-game point streak.
"I thought we played a pretty solid game," Blues Head Coach Craig Berube said. "Thats a tough team, man. They're fast. They've got a lot of speed and I thought our guys did a real good job tonight."
The Blues have won three straight games and are 7-3-0 in their last 10.
OILERS The Edmonton Oilers were 0-3-1 entering Monday's game against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center, but goalie Mikko Koskinen made 34 saves, Zach Kassian and Leon Draisaitl scored and Connor McDavid had two assists to lift the Oilers to a 2-1 win in Dallas.
"We wanted to get off to a good start and a good end," Oilers Head Coach Dave Tippett said after the game. "We wanted to win, and we came in and our guys were really focused today."
McDavid leads the NHL with 59 points (20 goals, 39 assists) this season, while Draisaitl ranks second with 57 points (21 goals, 36 assists).
HEAD-TO-HEAD Jake Allen turned in a strong effort in a 5-2 win against the Oilers in the first meeting between the clubs at Rogers Place on Nov. 6. Tyler Bozak and Ivan Barbashev each scored shorthanded goals 26 seconds apart in the victory.
The Blues have won three straight against the Oilers and have points in eight of their last nine games at Enterprise Center.
Video: Pang, Vitale preview matchup vs. Edmonton
HOT VS. EDMONTON
- Brayden Schenn has an eight-game point streak (six goals, 10 assists)
- Jaden Schwartz has a six-game point streak (six goals, eight assists)
- Alex Pietrangelo has a six-game point streak (two goals, eight assists)
- David Perron has a three-game point streak (three goals, two assists)
- Tyler Bozak has a three-game point streak (one goal, four assists)
BLUE NOTES
On Monday vs. Colorado, Blues' goaltender Jordan Binnington earned his 40th career win in just his 59th appearance, becoming the sixth goaltender in NHL history to earn 40 wins within 60 games… The Blues' power play ranks fifth in the NHL at 22.9 percent. Edmonton ranks first at 31.5 percent… The Blues are playing 12 straight games against Western Conference opponents and are 3-0 thus far.