EDMONTON, AB - The Oilers try to replicate their last performance against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight in the opening game of a five-game home stand at Rogers Place.
A 30-save shutout for Mikko Koskinen and three-point nights for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl back on March 2 highlighted a 4-0 road victory that went down as one of the club's most decisive performances of the 2018-19 NHL campaign.
"It was one of our best games," Oilers Head Coach Ken Hitchcock said. "But I think it's typical of our team because we're able to occupy the offensive zone, and that's how we play defence.
"That's the new NHL - more time to spend in the offensive zone and the less time you're going to spend defending. That's success and that's what we did in that game. We had long shifts in the o-zone and protected the puck, and it ended in goals for us."
Defenceman Matt Benning, who's plus-5 with three goals and two assists in his last 10 games, said less was more in their last clash against Columbus as he and his teammates were able to stifle a Blue Jackets team that now arrives in Edmonton having been outscored 11-3 as part of a four-game losing streak (0-3-1).
"I think we were quite simple," Benning said. "They got quite a bit of power offensively and some balanced lines, so when they don't have the puck I think that's better for us. I think that we chip pucks in, we supported each other well, and if one guy got beat there'd be another right behind him. We worked as a five-man unit."
The Oilers get a look at Joonas Korpisalo tonight in goal for Columbus after returning from a three-game road trip that ended 1-2-0. Pressure builds on this upcoming home stand with the Blue and Orange seven points adrift of a playoff spot with nine games left on their schedule.
"We've had success in the last little while here, and it's because we played a certain way," forward Sam Gagner said. "That's what we need to get back to. We've had discussions in here about what it's going to take for us, and I think if we're a group playing with passion and intensity that's working hard for each other, we have more success than not.
"We've got to find that tonight, and it's an important test for us."
PRESSURE HEATS UP AT HOME
Two wins out of three on the Oilers previous road trip was the goal, but taking only two points out of a possible six now amps up pressure on home ice and this upcoming five-game home stand.
"It puts a lot of pressure on coming close to running the table," Hitchcock, referencing the final nine games of the schedule and the playoff race, said. "It allowed other people to get involved, it allowed other teams to win a couple games in a row, and we said we needed to win two or three and then do our damage at home starting tonight.
"This puts pressure on us to really perform in these home games at a high level, and probably come close to winning them all as a saving grace. For me, it's about getting ready for tonight."
