BLOG: Feeling the rhythm

EDMONTON, AB - Zack Kassian has always been one of the biggest enthusiasts of the energy and animosities of the Battle of Alberta.
However, on Saturday, the forward was forced to watch from home as his Oilers teammates earned an important victory over their rivals after being relegated to spectator status with a non-COVID-related illness.
"I didn't watch too much of it, to be honest," Kassian admitted. "I wasn't feeling very well… but I was checking my phone."
"Obviously when I saw we were down 2-0, I didn't like seeing that. But after speaking with the guys, I was really happy for Mikko most importantly. He has taken a lot of heat and that wears on guys mentally more so than physically, but for him to step up and be the best player from what I heard is awesome. We're going to need him to keep doing that."
Returning to Rogers Place on Monday to participate in a full skate with his Oilers teammates before the team's departure to Vancouver, Kassian alluded to a change in the dressing room's vibrations after Saturday's win over the Calgary Flames offered reprieve from the Orange & Blue's seven-game slump.
"There're no ifs, ands, or buts that the mood is better in here today," Kassian said. "You lose a bunch in a row and you feel like crap, and then you win one and it's amazing what it does for the morale of the team and our confidence.
"We're excited to go on the road and go into Vancouver and hopefully put in a good effort."

Kassian's season has had plenty of stops and starts since being placed in COVID-19 Protocol and missing the first four games of the Oilers schedule coming out of the Christmas break.
The spark-plug forward returned to the lineup on Jan. 6 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and played in two more games for the Oilers against the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers over the next 15 days before his non-COVID-related illness meant he would miss Saturday's victory in the Battle of Alberta.
The calendar for the Oilers becomes a lot more congested beginning Wednesday in Vancouver, and to Kassian, it couldn't come at a better time to help him re-discover his physical play style.

"It's been tough, but I'm back in tomorrow and excited to get in a rhythm here," he said. "We're playing every other day for the most part besides that little break we have for the All-Star Game, but it looks like we're going to go every other day for the next little while here.
"I'm looking forward to getting back and bringing more energy. I think I can bring more energy and be physical, and when I do that, it seems to rub off on guys. For myself, I think I'm playing at my best when I'm doing that."
Based on Monday's practice, Kassian will get his opportunity to inject some physicality into Tuesday's game on a line with in-form winger Brendan Perlini and the returning Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
"I've talked about it numerous times that he's a leader in the room and does so many things out there that helps our team win hockey games," Kassian said of Nugent-Hopkins. "He's on the PK, he's on the PP, at 5-on-5 he chews up minutes and they're all good minutes for our team, so whenever you can get a guy like that back, it's a huge bonus."