EDMONTON, AB - Back from the five-day bye-week break, the Oilers hope they can harness the momentum they created in the final two games of their five-game road swing.
Edmonton defeated the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 last Friday then visited the Vegas Golden Knights, besting them 3-2 in overtime thanks to the heroics of defenceman Darnell Nurse.
"We have to come back with the same kind of focus (as before the break)," said Oilers centre Mark Letestu. "You can't ease into a game and see how hard it's going to be or its pace, you have to just jump in. Hopefully, that focus is there."
The Oilers came out of the Christmas break by going 0-3-1, eventually snapping their skid with a 2-1 shootout victory against the Anaheim Ducks. The club is cognizant of their past return to the ice and aware of the challenge it presents.
"If it was easy, our stretch coming out of the last break would have been a lot better," said Letestu. "If there's a little bit of rust, you have to allow your brain take over and be systematically as good as possible."
STROME FRONT AND CENTRE
The news that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will be sidelined for five to six weeks with a rib injury came as a surprise on Friday. The pivot is the Oilers leading goal scorer with 16 markers this season, to go along with 15 assists for 31 points in 46 games. Nugent-Hopkins' absence leaves a void but presents opportunity for others to rise, such as Ryan Strome, who will play middleman on the third line with Jujhar Khaira and Michael Cammalleri.
"You can't replace a guy like that; that goes without saying," said Strome of Nugent-Hopkins. "He does everything. In the absence of Nuge, a lot of guys have to step up, myself included."
Letestu echoed Strome's sentiment, adding many players seize their chance when teammates go down.
"That's sports, that's hockey," the centre said. "A lot of us in this room got our first chance in the League with guys going down, getting hurt and taking the opportunity. Whether it's old guys, young guys, guys moving in different roles, more responsibilities, it's always a chance to prove yourself."
In addition to returning to centre, Strome could see some time on the top power-play unit.
"Right now, it's my opportunity," he said, noting he'll be sharing the ice with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. "Those guys control the puck, so I just have to try to get open and do the right things. It's pretty special to play with players like that so you have to make the most of it."
NURSE TO THE POWER PLAY
Not only was Strome added to the first power-play group but so too was Nurse, who has four goals and five points in his last four games. Before Oilers Head Coach Todd McLellan divulged into his reason for adding the defender to the man-advantage, he praised the season he's put together.
"We've seen Darnell's game continually grow and rise," started the Oilers coach. "Credit to him, his game has segmentally gotten better."
As for the power-play time, McLellan wants to ride Nurse's recent streak.
"Power-play wise, he's on it right now," he said. "We just want him to relax back there and play. If it's going well, then it'll continue and if not, we'll put him back in the spot where he's had his success lately."
Letestu understands Nurse's situation, having experienced a similar instance in 2016-17 when he was put on the man-advantage as a trigger.
"Last year in my situation, I ended up on the power play as kind of an unknown ingredient and it took off," said Letestu, who has three power play goals on the year. "Nursy hasn't played on the power play at all this year and he's getting an opportunity. Maybe he's the ingredient the power play needs.
"He's put together two pretty good hockey games. Hopefully, he can ride that momentum and energize our power play."
LINEUP NOTES
It appears as though Iiro Pakarinen will slot in on the fourth line, while Anton Slepyshev sits out. The Oilers lines at morning skate were as follows:
Maroon - McDavid - Caggiula
Lucic - Draisaitl - Puljujarvi
Khaira - Strome - Cammalleri
Pakarinen - Letestu - Kassian
Sekera - Russell
Klefbom - Benning
Nurse - Larsson
Talbot
-- Paul Gazzola, EdmontonOilers.com
