edm-wpg-preview

The Oilers wrap up their season-opening four-game road trip tonight with a game against the Winnipeg Jets.
You can watch the game on Sportsnet Oilers or listen on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED.
Read the full game preview below with lineup updates, videos, our morning skate report and more to come.

INSIDE THE OILERS

News and notes from Monday's Oilers practice from Rogers Place.
>> READ MORE IN THE INSIDE THE OILERS BLOG

PRE-GAME REPORT

WINNIPEG, MB - The Oilers will conclude their season-opening four-game road trip against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, looking to return to Edmonton with a .500 record.
The squad registered their first win of the 2018-19 campaign on Saturday, getting a Connor McDavid power-play marker to secure the 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers. Before that, the Oilers dropped games to the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins.
The Orange & Blue returned home following Saturday's matinee tilt versus the Blueshirts, getting an opportunity to visit with family and sleep in their own bed for the first time in weeks. Although Sunday came and went quick, Oilers Head Coach Todd McLellan said being home was refreshing.
"It was outstanding to get home, get in your own bed, see your family and get re-acquainted with Edmonton," said McLellan. "But we can't get ahead of ourselves. We're still on a long road trip and playing against a really good team tonight. We better be prepared."
The Jets have put together 11 consecutive wins at home dating back to the 2017-18 campaign.
"We've got a very tough task in trying to break that streak," McLellan added.

IN NEED OF OFFENCE
In Edmonton's three outings this season, the club has averaged 1.67 goals per game, which is tied for second fewest in the National Hockey League.
Connor McDavid has factored in on all five of the team's goals, scoring two himself while adding three helpers. Should the Oilers Captain get in on Edmonton's first goal on Tuesday, he'll become the 11th Oiler since 1987-88 to produce a point in six straight team goals. Former Oilers Sam Gagner holds that title when he netted points on 11 consecutive markers during the 2011-12 year.
McLellan alluded to the lack of production from the rest of his club, admitting that second-line pivot Leon Draisaitl, who has one goal and three points this season - as well as the rest of the group - need to begin contributing.
"There's been a lot of talk, driven outside of our locker room, about whether he (Draisaitl) can man his own line, command ice and drive his own line," McLellan said. "We firmly believe he can do that. He's got to get off to a little bit of a better start now that we're back in North America."
McLellan re-iterated the need for the bottom six and backend to begin mustering some offence, as well.
"It's just not Connor and Leon," he said. "We've got to get more from our third and fourth lines and the backend. When they start chipping in, it takes pressure off those two up front."
TO HELLEBUYCK AND BACK
Although Edmonton is 4-1-3 in their last eight road games against Winnipeg, the club will have their work cut out for them. Jets keeper Connor Hellebuyck is 31-5-2 at Bell MTS Place since the 2017-18 season, owning a .842 win percentage.
"Last year was a bit of a coming out party for him," said Oilers centre Kyle Brodziak. "He established himself as one of the top goalies in the League. We know it's going to be a tough test."
Brodziak maintained that as visitors, they can't focus on opposing players.
"We can't sit here and worry about individuals and what they're doing," he said. "It's what we need to do to beat them tonight and that's our focus."
POWER PLAY KILLERS
Winnipeg is the most penalized team in the League this season, averaging 18:36 PIMs per game. But on Monday, McLellan elected to focus on his club's penalty kill strategy against the high-flying Jets, who are converging at a 25 percent clip on the man-advantage at the moment.
The bench boss simulated Winnipeg's power play complexion at Monday's practice. There's no shortage of threats on either of Winnipeg's units, with much of the danger coming courtesy of one-timers from Mark Scheifele in the slot and Patrik Laine on the left half wall.
"They're both probably equally dangerous," said Brodziak. "I think that's why we talked about it. We got to have help from a couple different guys by trying to take away as much in that area as we can."
But Brodziak, who saw plenty of the Jets last year as a member of the Central Division's St. Louis Blues, identified another offensive catalyst among the Jets: Blake Wheeler.
"When he's walking down the wall, he waits for you to go to one guy then gives it to the other guy," Brodziak said. "It's a tough power play to work against but we'll be up for it tonight."
Edmonton sits last in the League on the PK with a 62.5 percent average.
LINEUP NOTES
McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins did not skate on Tuesday but are expected to be in the lineup.
Zack Kassian, Alex Chiasson and Evan Bouchard stayed out for extra reps Tuesday morning, meaning they will all be out. Matt Benning will suit up on the blueline.
Cam Talbot is expected to start in goal.
Lines appeared to be:
RNH - McDavid - Rattie
Lucic - Draisaitl - Yamamoto
Caggiula - Strome - Puljujarvi
Khaira - Brodziak - Rieder
Klefbom - Larsson
Nurse - Russell
Garrison - Benning
Talbot
Koskinen
Jets Head Coach Paul Maurice confirmed defenceman Dustin Byfuglien will not play.
-- Paul Gazzola, EdmontonOilers.com

PREVIEW

OILERS (1-2-0) at JETS (3-2-0)
TV: 6:00 p.m. MDT; Televised on Sportsnet Oilers
Head-to-Head:
Tonight's game is the first of three meetings between the two teams this season. They will meet again at Bell MTS Place on December 13 and again in Edmonton at Rogers Place on December 31.
Last season, the Jets won all three meetings.
Oilers team scope:
The Oilers opened the season with a pair of losses, 5-2 to the Devils in Sweden then 4-1 in Boston but rebounded to defeat the New York Rangers 2-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Connor McDavid leads the Oilers with five points (two goals, three assists) and Leon Draisaitl is second with three points (one goal, two assists). Milan Lucic, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse each have two points.
Jets team scope:
The Jets opened the season with a convincing 5-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on the road but then lost two nights later 5-1 in Dallas. They then defated the L.A. Kings 2-1 in their home opener on October 9 before losing 3-0 in Nashville on October 11. Last time out, the Jets pulled out a 3-1 win over Carolina two nights ago.
Kyle Connor leads the Jets in scoring with five points (four goals, one assist) while captain Blake Wheeler has four points (one goal, three assists) and blueliner Josh Morrissey has four helpers.
By the Numbers:
McDavid has registered points on all five of the Oilers goals to date in 2018-19. Only four players in NHL history have factored on more than five consecutive team goals to begin a season: Adam Oates in 1986-87 (7 w/ DET), Aurel Joliat in 1929-30 (6 w/ MTL), Bill Cowley in 1938-39 (6 w/ BOS) and Andre Boudrias in 1973-74 (6 w/ VAN).
McDavid leads all NHL forwards in average ice-time (24:01), almost one full minute ahead Patrick Kane, CHI (23:06). ... Milan Lucic's nine hits vs. the New York Rangers on Oct. 13, are the most recorded by one player this season to date - tied with William Carrier (NSH), on 10/8/19 vs. BUF.
Injury Report:
OILERS - Andrej Sekera (achilles) is out
JETS - Dustin Byfuglien (upper body) is day-to-day
-- Marc Ciampa, EdmontonOilers.com