Ahead of a five-game road trip, the Oilers host the Anaheim Ducks at Rogers Place on Saturday in the final contest of a three-game homestand.
You can watch the game on Sportsnet West and CBC or listen on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED.
Read the game preview below and check back for our Morning Skate Report, lineup updates, videos and more.

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS
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OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game vs. ANA
RAW | Bob Nicholson
RAW | McDavid
PRE-GAME RAW | Kassian
PRE-GAME RAW | Chiasson
PRE-GAME RAW | Draisaitl
PRE-GAME RAW | Head Coach Ken Hitchcock
BY THE NUMBERS
Stats Comparison: Oilers vs. Ducks
Media Game Notes: Oilers vs. Ducks
2018-19 Oilers Player Statistics
2018-19 Ducks Player Statistics
2018-19 Head-to-Head: Oilers vs. Ducks
2018-19 NHL Standings
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INSIDE THE OILERS

News and notes from Friday's Oilers practice and media availability.
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PRE-GAME REPORT

EDMONTON, AB - The Oilers will be without Connor McDavid for the first of two games on Saturday night when they close out a three-game homestand at Rogers Place against the Anaheim Ducks.
The Oilers captain was handed down a two-game punishment for his hit on Nick Leddy in the first period of Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the New York Islanders - a game that saw McDavid provide the final act in overtime to make it three points in two games for the Oilers during this home stretch.
"It's frustrating because it's such a crucial time," McDavid said of his suspension to the media on Saturday. "Every game we've played since the break has been a playoff-like game for us. It's a playoff-like game for Anaheim too. It's going to be a good hockey game that I want to be a part of. It's a bit of a shame because it is such a big game for our team and the Ducks."
The Ducks had won three straight, including two shutouts, before losing 2-1 to the Calgary Flames yesterday in the first of two back-to-back games concluding tonight. Anaheim is one of the many clubs log-jammed in a packed race for a Wildcard spot in the Western Conference, sitting one point above the Oilers with 57 points and one extra game played.
"It's important. A divisional game and I think the standings speak for themselves," forward Zack Kassian said. "It's going to be a playoff atmosphere kind of feel and we need to be ready to play. Obviously with the changes they've made over there they've been playing well as of late too, so it's important for us to be ready to go and ready to start against these guys.
"Everyone has to pick up the slack when you lose a player like our captain. Everyone needs to pick up their play and get a win for him."
Over the course of the 2018-19 NHL season, McDavid has averaged 22:56 of ice time, meaning the load needs to be shared across the Oilers forward corps with more vital points up for grabs.
"It's a tough one to swallow," Alex Chiasson said. "Everyone's aware of how much he means to this team on the ice, but also in the locker room. He's a guy that brings a lot of energy through his play. It's on us here as players to share his minutes and do a good job, because we obviously need those points here tonight."
Oilers Head Coach Ken Hitchcock has praised his team's fight in the past stretch despite only holding a 2-5-3 record in their last 10 games. The Oilers have welcomed positive performances from leaders like Leon Draisaitl, who has 12 goals and five assists in his last 12 outings.

"It's two hockey games, and we can survive this as long as we don't get discouraged," Hitchcock said. "Just focus on the way we've been playing, not what's missing, and we can more than survive this. We got a lot of our key guys playing well right now, and we don't want to let it delay."
MCDAVID MULLS SUSPENSION
The echoes of McDavid's two-game suspension vibrated through Oil Country yesterday, with Oilers Entertainment Group CEO Bob Nicholson speaking in front of members of the media this morning prior to the Oilers morning skate.
"We're really disappointed with the NHL's decision, and really disappointed for the team and the fans," Nicholson said. "This is a first-time offence for Connor, everyone knows that Connor is a skilled player, and I thought he did a very good job explaining what he was doing before there was contact in the play."
During his hearing with the NHL Disciplinary Committee, McDavid laid out his view of the hit to the League before providing it to the media after practice for the first time following the suspension.

"I think there's a lot of different elements to it. I think one is I'm on the backcheck but I stopped skating by the red line, which isn't good for the backcheck," joked McDavid. "I think I showed in the video that I was moving so slow. [It was] a drop pass, it's my guy, he bobbles the puck for a second and I go to close on him to make a play on the puck and he just kind of shovels it and gets rid of it."
McDavid continued: "Obviously at that time we're going to run into each other right away, so I braced myself and he gets the worse of it because he's in a more uncomfortable position. I think if the roles were reversed and I'm going to extend myself to touch the puck then he goes through me, then we're maybe talking about me having a separated shoulder or head injury. If we're going to pick which guy to protect, I'm going to protect myself first."
McDavid will serve his first suspension as an NHL player, and teammates know the impact of losing his presence on the ice and in the locker room before a crucial game against the Ducks.
"It's tough. We know how important this game is here tonight and every game throughout the rest of the year, but to lose our best player in this important stretch is tough," Kassian said. "I think the whole world knows he's not going out there trying to hit people and try to hurt people. He's a world class player and a world class person, that's the last thing he's trying to do.
"Obviously it's a tough decision at this point in time for our hockey club, but we've got to find a way to win here tonight and keep us in the race. Then we get him back, that would be a good boost for us."
PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER
Following tonight's game, the Oilers depart on their longest road trip of the season with a five-game swing through Nashville, Toronto, Ottawa, Columbus, and Buffalo.
The Oilers, despite seeing fewer results than expected, are not letting the momentum slide with the opportunity to leapfrog one more team to get closer to a highly-coveted Wildcard spot.
"I think the last five or six games we've played really good hockey and should've banked a few more points than we did," Leon Draisaitl said. "We're going to keep going and keep pushing. We're not going to stop, and need to make sure we keep building."

Both clubs, after dry spells, have begun putting the pieces together and round out their games in the Wildcard race. They now meet for the third time this campaign for what will be another tightly-contested affair between the Pacific rivals.
"It would be huge, obviously," Draisaitl, citing the two points up for grabs, said. "They've been playing a lot better lately and better defensively, so we need to make sure we're ready to go. It's going to be a tight, physical game, it always is against these guys, and we have to make sure we're ready to go."
The Oilers are 13-15-2 on home ice, but two solid performances in front of fans and the ability to bounce back from hardships during the game have been bright spots says Chiasson.
"Our game has been much better as of late, and we've been playing better at home," He said. "We've been able to bounce back after things that happen during the games, and I think we had a hard time with that earlier in the season. That means our group is growing and we're feeling confident in the stuff we do. We're looking forward to keeping that going tonight."
LINEUP NOTES
Lines will be made apparent during warm-ups, but we know one immediate benefactor to McDavid's omittance tonight will be Sam Gagner.
The centre scored his first goal in his second stint as an Oiler against the Islanders, and will slot into McDavid's spot on the first-unit power play. Having the flexibility of two capable top-six centres in Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, along with Gagner, is a big boost for Hitchcock.

"I think what helps us here honestly is Gagner, because he can take faceoffs," he said. "So he can move with one of the left-shot centres. Where Connor was missing on the power-play Gagner can play there, so Sam coming in allows us to absorb this a lot better than we could a week ago. That's good for us."
Mikko Koskinen was in the starter's net, meaning the big Finn who is 15-14-3 with a 2.87 goals-against average and .906 save percentage is likely to start his 32nd game of the campaign.
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com

PREVIEW

OILERS (25-29-6) vs. DUCKS (24-28-9)
TV: 8:00 p.m. MST; Televised on Sportsnet West and CBC.
Head-to-Head:
Tonight will be the third time the Oilers and Ducks have met this season. The Ducks defeated the Oilers 2-1 in overtime back on November 23 before being blanked 4-0 on January 6.
The fourth and final meeting is set for March 30 back at Rogers Place.
Oilers team scope:
Two of the first three games for the Oilers during their current homestand have yielded three out of a possible four points as the club attempts to make strides in the race for a Wildcard spot.
The Oilers are currently one point back of the Ducks and eight back of the Minnesota Wild and the final Wildcard spot with two games in hand.
Connor McDavid was suspended two games Friday for his hit on Nick Leddy in a 4-3 overtime win on Thursday, meaning the Oilers will be without his services tonight and for Monday's meetup in Nashville with the Predators. Jesse Puljujarvi will miss extended time with a lower-body injury.
The Oilers are 2-5-3 in their last 10 games.
Ducks team scope:
Also eyeing a playoff spot, the Ducks won three-straight games including two shutouts against the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild before losing 2-1 to the Calgary Flames on Friday. They'll play the Oilers in the second of back-to-back games tonight.
Corey Perry scored only his second goal of the season on Tuesday against the Wild, and Ryan Kesler snapped a 39-game goal drought. Ryan Miller became the most winningest U.S.-born netminder with his 375th win and is 6-3-1 in 13 appearances this season behind the injured John Gibson.
By the Numbers:
The Oilers are 54-63-2 all-time against the Californian side... The Oilers have four overtime or shootout losses to the Ducks in their past 10 games (4-2-4)...
Ryan Getzlaf leads the Ducks in points with 39 (11G, 28A) in 54 games but is a team-worst minus-21... Leon Draisaitl has a five-game points streak of 4 goals and three assists...
Injury Report:
OILERS - Jesse Puljujarvi (lower body) is on IR; and Jujhar Khaira (lower body) is on IR.
DUCKS - Ondrej Kase (shoulder) is on IR; John Gibson (upper body) is on IR; Chad Johnson (head) is on IR.
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com