BLOG: Sunday's playoff preparation at Downtown Community Arena

EDMONTON, AB - The Edmonton Oilers practiced on Sunday morning at the Downtown Community Arena ahead of Game 1 of their 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday night versus the Los Angeles Kings.
Defenceman Darnell Nurse, who hasn't skated since leaving an April 22 contest against the Colorado Avalanche due to injury, took part in full during the practice in a pairing with Cody Ceci. The blueliner's status for Game 1 of the playoffs remains unconfirmed, and both the player and his head coach remained non-committal on whether or not he would be in the lineup tomorrow night.
"It's nice to get back out on the ice and skate with the guys," Nurse said. "We'll see where we go from there."
"He had a good day today, so that is a positive sign," Coach Jay Woodcroft said. "We'll see how he wakes up in the morning and where we are at. We have some time and we're going to use it."

Those who get the opportunity to play in the Oilers opening game against the Kings are looking to prove that this team is different from years past. The last two seasons have been marred by difficult circumstances and results not fitting of the talent level inside the locker room.
"For us as a team, I think we've been through a couple of post-season experiences where we left here very unsatisfied," Nurse said. "It's up to us to come out and put out the right effort and hopefully it gets us the results."
This time around, the Oilers will be boosted by the Rogers Place faithful. It has been 1,821 days since the Oilers have played a playoff game in front of their rabid fans when they defeated the Anaheim Ducks 7-1 in Game 6 of the second round of the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. The anticipation that is sweeping over the city is trickling down into the Oilers locker room.
"It's going to be really exciting to have everyone back to share in the moment," Nurse said. "The playoffs are special. We've put in a lot of hard work over the course of the season to have the opportunity to play in them. It's great when the fans also bring it when the playoffs come around. The atmosphere in here is really second to none."
In other roster notes, defenceman Philip Broberg was recalled from the Bakersfield Condors and participated in Sunday's practice before goaltender Olivier Rodrigue was summoned from Edmonton's AHL affiliate later in the afternoon.

Lines at Sunday's practice appeared as follows:
Kane - McDavid - Puljujarvi
Hyman - Draisaitl - Yamamoto
Foegele - Nugent-Hopkins - Ryan
Brassard - McLeod - Kassian
Shore - Archibald
Nurse - Ceci
Keith - Bouchard
Russell - Barrie
Kulak - Broberg
Smith
Koskinen
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- BLOG: Playing for the playoffs - BLOG: Coach Woodcroft forges his own path - RELEASE: Smith named NHL's Second Star of the Month - RELEASE: Oilers vs. Kings Playoff Schedule announced