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2016-17 Head-to-Head: Oilers vs. Jets
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OILERS TODAY | Tom Gazzola reports on the key storylines prior to tonight's game
PRE-GAME RAW | Larsson
PRE-GAME RAW | Pouliot
PRE-GAME RAW | Oilers head coach Todd McLellan
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PRE-GAME REPORT

EDMONTON, AB - After going 0-1-2 on a brief three-game road trip, the Oilers return home for a showdown against the Winnipeg Jets.
This is the third and final installment between the two clubs this season. The Oilers are 2-0-0 in the season series, beating the Jets in Winnipeg on both occasions. The blue and orange shut out the Jets 3-0 in the Heritage Classic on October 23, at Investors Group Field. Then, on Dec 1, at MTS Centre, the Oilers doubled up on them 6-3.
Captain Connor McDavid can't exactly explain why his Oilers have been so successful against a skilled Jets squad. The Central Division, believed to be one of the strongest in the League, haven't deterred the Oilers. They're 6-1-2 against Central Division opponents this season.
"I'm not sure," he said. "They're a good, solid team. Have good defenceman, good forwards who defend well as well. They're a tough team to play against and we should expect that tonight."
NO REST FOR THE WICKED
The Jets enter Rogers Place on the tail end of a back-to-back. In Calgary against the Flames on Saturday night, they lost 6-2. Having played 32 games in 60 days, the visiting team elected to not have a pre-game skate Sunday morning.
Both teams, though, are battling a rigorous early season schedule.
"We, like the Jets and many other teams, just don't have that practice time right now," said Oilers Head Coach Todd McLellan. "We will get some later on in the week, but we have to balance that with rest as well."
After Sunday's game, the Jets won't play until Thursday. Coming off a well-deserved rest day, McDavid noted having an early start could be the difference against the Jets.
"They've played a lot of hockey (and) so have we," he said. "We're fresh off an off-day, and they played last night. (We) Definitely got to get on them early and make sure they're working all the time."
LAINE 'PROBABLY HAS A BETTER SHOT THAN OVECHKIN'
Dynamic Jets winger Patrik Laine is a player the Oilers will need to key in on. Laine's been wont to light the lamp in only his first NHL season, scoring 17 goals in 31 games played.
The 2016 second-overall draft pick is at his best when he lets his shots fly. Although it's so early in his career, many have compared his release and one-timer with one of the best in the game: Alex Ovechkin's. While Ovechkin's shots are accompanied by sheer unpredictability, Laine's differs with its uncanny precision.
"I would say he probably has a better shot than Ovechkin," said Oilers defenceman Oscar Klefbom. "I think he aims the shots, where Ovechkin has that curve on his stick so he can go really anywhere. That's why it's so hard to read. Especially for a goalie, he's so hard to read."
Laine has not scored in two games. His last goal was on Dec 6, against the Detroit Red Wings, so he will surely be looking to shoot tonight. The Finn flexed his accuracy against the Oil in their last meet, scoring two goals on Cam Talbot.
"Laine aims and he gets the puck where he's aiming," said Klefbom.
STAYING AFLOAT IN THE PACIFIC
The Oilers sit fourth in the Pacific Division heading into Sunday's game. They are tied with the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks in points with 33 but have an inferior points percentage. The Flames, who hold the top spot, are a single point ahead of the Sharks, Ducks and Oilers with 34.
As tight as the division is, it's equally cyclical. With points in nine of their last 12 games, the Oil remain in the mix but need to continue compiling them.
"Everybody in our division is playing pretty good right now," said Adam Larsson. "We were in the top in the start of the year and you can slip pretty fast in this division. We're well aware of that, but we have to, at the same time, play our game and (continue) focusing on our part."
Winger Benoit Pouliot was with the Oilers during some difficult and trying times. Just being in the playoff conversation at this point in the season hasn't always been the case, but it's a good situation to be in.
"Everyone's buying in, everyone's playing well," he said. "There's still work to do obviously like every year but it's been a turnaround big time, much better than what it was (the last few years)."
The Oilers seek to continue their dominance over the Central Division. The Jets are 2-3-0 when facing Pacific Division teams this season.
-- Paul Gazzola, edmontonoilers.com

PREVIEW

OILERS (14-11-5) vs. JETS (13-15-3)
TV: 7:30 p.m. MT; Televised on Sportsnet Oilers
Head-to-Head:
Tonight marks the third and final meeting between the Oilers and Jets this season and the lone game in Edmonton. The last time these teams met in Edmonton was on February 13th, where the Jets won by a score of 2-1 in a shootout. Matt Hendricks scored the Oilers lone goal in the game
The last time these teams met was on December 1st in Winnipeg, where the Oilers defeated the Jets by a score of 6-3. Five Oilers (Sekera, Lucic, McDavid, Letestu and Draisaitl) posted multi-point efforts in the win, while Letestu and Draisaitl each notched two goals.
Oilers team scope:
The Oilers have a 5-3-4 record over their last 12 games and have picked up points in five of their last six despite no wins in their last four (2-1-3). Four of Edmonton's last five games have gone to overtime or a shootout (1-0-3).
Connor McDavid has registered 12 multi-point games this season, ranking first in the NHL, with Sidney Crosby next at ten multi-point games. McDavid has led the NHL in scoring since Nov. 22 and at one point during all three months this season. In total, McDavid has led the league in scoring for 29 of the first 58 days of the season. He now has 38 points (12G, 26A) in 30 games. He currently has a six point lead on the Philadelphia Flyers' Jakub Voracek.
Leon Draisaitl has points in 11 of his last 14 games and now has 26 points (13G, 13A) through 30 games, putting him in 14th place in NHL scoring. He registered an assist last game to extend his point streak (3G, 2A) to three games. His seven power play goals rank him in a tie for second place in the NHL, behind only Wayne Simmonds (PHI), who has eight power play goals. Draisaitl scored a power play goal the last time the Oilers and Jets met.
Defenceman Andrej Sekera has points in five of his last seven games, totalling seven points (2G, 5A), dating back to Dec. 1 in Winnipeg. Sekera recorded two assists the last time these teams met.
Sekera reached 200 career points with assist in Buffalo on Dec. 6, 2016.
Over his eleven years in the NHL, Sekera now has 41 goals and 161 assists in 597 games.
Sekera ranks fifth all-time in games played in the NHL by a Slovakian defenceman, behind Zdeno Chara (1,294), Lubomir Visnovsky (883), Robert Svehla (655) and Andrej Meszaros (645).
Jets team scope:
Winnipeg has dropped three straight games, including last night in Calgary.
Mark Scheifele has a goal in three of his last five games and is tied for ninth in the NHL in scoring with 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) in 28 games.
Patrik Laine is third in the NHL with 17 goals this season and leads NHL rookies with 25 points (17 goals, 8 assists) in 31 games.
Nikolaj Ehlers is tied for fourth in the NHL with 19 assists this season. Ehlers leads the Jets in scoring on the road with 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in 16 games.
Dustin Byfuglien leads all NHLers with 837:16 time on ice this season and 27:54 average time on ice per game…He's the only player in the NHL to have played more than 800 minutes this season.
Josh Morrissey is third among NHL rookies with 47 blocked shots in 30 games…He has at least one blocked shot in seven of his last eight games