PRE-GAME REPORT: Oilers at Stars

The Edmonton Oilers wrap up a back-to-back road trip on Tuesday night at the American Airlines Center against the Dallas Stars.
You can watch the game on Sportsnet West or listen on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED.
Video: OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game at DAL 03.22.22

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS
GAME DAY VIDEO
OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game vs. DAL
PRE-GAME RAW | Coach Woodcroft
RECENT VIDEOS
OILERS TODAY | Post-Game vs. COL
POST-RAW | Jay Woodcroft 03.21.22
POST-RAW | Kailer Yamamoto 03.21.22
BY THE NUMBERS
Oilers Statistics
Stars Statistics
Stats Comparison
Game Notes
RECENT BLOGS & ARTICLES

GENE'S BLOG: Deadline Day
RELEASE: Oilers acquire Derick Brassard
RELEASE: Oilers acquire Brett Kulak
VIEWING INFORMATION
You can watch Tuesday's game on Sportsnet West at 6:30 PM MT.
DALLAS, TX - The Oilers were up for the challenge of going head-to-head with the league's best team in the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, and they proved it.
"I think as a team we were looking forward to this one," defenceman Cody Ceci said post-game. "It was a good challenge for us. We've been playing well lately and we thought this would be a good test."
An overtime defeat in Denver saw the Oilers leave the Mile High City with only a single point, but it was a reassuring performance that the coaches and players can add to the positive momentum that's been building over the last 19 games under Head Coach Jay Woodcroft.
"It was a good game by us. You give credit where credit is due, and that's a really good team over there," Kailer Yamamoto said. "They got one more goal than us, but I thought we played a hell of a game. A lot to take away from it."
"It just shows that we can play with anybody. When we're at our best, we can play with anybody. I think we've got to look at the positives here and take that."
If it weren't for a few unlucky power-play bounces, the Oilers might've been looking at a different result as they head to Dallas for the second of a back-to-back on Tuesday night for a pivotal clash with playoff implications against the Stars, who are one point out of a Wildcard spot with plenty of games on their direct competitors.
Video: PRE-RAW | Jay Woodcroft 03.22.22
"I thought we were dialed in. I was pleased with the way we competed," Woodcroft said. "I don't think we gave up a 5-on-5 goal tonight, and the first two goals that went in went off people's bodies. Those things happen in hockey. We were right there against the team that's leading the NHL in points in a tough building.
"Happy that we got a point, and we're going to get on a plane, refuel and we're going to get ready for another tough game tomorrow against a very game Dallas Stars team."
YAMO IN MOTION
Yamamoto proved tough to deal with for the likes of Nathan MacKinnon on Monday night as he was all over the ice and the scoresheet playing a tenacious game.
The 23-year-old had a goal and assist, six penalty minutes, two shots, and was an all-around pest getting under the skin of the Colorado players in a Man of the Match performance for the Oilers.
"He wasn't going to be deterred tonight," Woodcroft said. "He's not the biggest man in the world, but he plays with a tonne of heart and is a big reason we got a point in a tough building."
"He is a smaller player, but he's got a big trunk to him. He's willing to play inside equipment and has the ability when he hits, to hit hard. But like you said, he gets under people's nerves just through work ethic. He frustrates other teams and other players with his work ethic."
Video: POST-RAW | Kailer Yamamoto 03.21.22
The physicality in Yamamoto's game despite his smaller has been bubbling to the top in recent games, along with a good offensive streak with four multi-point games in his last five, as he tries to leverage his tenacity into making it hard for opponents when he's on the ice.
"I'm just trying to keep players in front of me," he said. "If I get a little body on them, they can't get to the net as quick as you, so I'm trying to take the body and play better defensively."
LINEUP NOTES
Mikko Koskinen is slated to get the second leg of the back-to-back tonight after Mike Smith made 28 saves in Monday's loss to the Avalanche.
Trade Deadline acquisitions Derick Brassard and Brett Kulak have not joined their new team on the road and will wait for Thursday's contest against the San Jose Sharks to make their debuts with the Blue & Orange at Rogers Place.
Brassard will wear number 16 for the Oilers, while Kulak will don the number 27 when they take to the ice for their first game in an Oilers jersey.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is expected to return to the Oilers lineup on Thursday after Oilers GM & Pres. of Hockey Ops Ken Holland revealed in his deadline avail that the centre has made significant progress in his recovery from an upper-body injury.
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com
OILERS vs. STARS
STREAM: 6:30 p.m. MT; televised on Sportsnet West
Oilers Team Scope
The Oilers earned a point in a competitive contest against one of the league's best teams in the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night in a 3-2 overtime defeat at Ball Arena in Denver.
A boon to the Oilers players in defeat is the added detail that they didn't concede a goal at 5-on-5 against Avalanche, but instead were victimized by two unlucky power-play markers to Mikko Rantanen that struck bodies in front on their way in before Nathan MacKinnon sniped the overtime game-winner.
"I thought it was an excellent hockey game," Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said. "We were right there, had chances to win, it went to overtime in a 3-on-3 situation and we had a player lose a helmet and overskate the puck that ended up in the back of our net. I'm proud of how we competed tonight. We got a lot of really good efforts. There were a lot of good hockey players out there."
It's a valuable point the Oilers will take into the second of back-to-back games on Tuesday at American Airlines Center they'll face a direct competitor for a playoff spot in the Stars.
"Happy that we got a point, and we're going to get on a plane, refuel and we're going to get ready for another tough game tomorrow against a very game Dallas Stars team," Woodcroft said.
The Oilers acquired forward Derick Brassard from the Philadelphia Flyers and defenceman Brett Kulak from the Montreal Canadiens at the deadline to bolster their lineup ahead of the final stretch of games.
Stars Team Scope
The Stars were idle on Monday after beating the Capitals 3-2 on the weekend to wrap up a four-game road trip.
But Dallas still made some additions to their lineup for a playoff push in the days leading up to the deadline by acquiring forward Vladislav Namestnikov from the Detroit Red Wings and goaltender Scott Wedgewood from the Arizona Coyotes.
The addition of Wedgewood will offer netminder Jake Oettinger some relief down the final 20-game stretch after a lower-body injury to Braden Holtby looks set to keep the 32-year-old out of the lineup for much of their remaining schedule.
"We're asking a lot of Jake here, and there are major concerns with that," Stars General Manager Jim Nill said. "We realize that right now Holtby might not be able to play for a while. And with the schedule, we're exposing [Jake] to potential injuries, so we needed to add another goalie."
The Stars are pushing for a playoff spot and currently own a record of 34-24-3, just one point back of the Vegas Golden Knights while having four games in hand.
By The Numbers
The Stars are the second-least penalized team and have the second-highest faceoff win percentage (54.8 per cent) in the NHL this season... The Stars have earned at least a point in 22 of their last 26 games vs. Edmonton on home ice (19-4-3) dating back to the 2005-06 season... Alexander Radulov has points in three straight (3A) and in five of his last six (1G, 4A) against the Oilers...
Connor McDavid has an NHL-best 42 penalties drawn this season... McDavid has 19 points (8 G, 11 A) in 13 career games vs. Stars... Leon Draisaitl Has eight points (3G, 5A) during a five-game point streak after recording an assist vs. Colorado... Mikko Koskinen won each of his last four starts (2.97 GAA, .906 SV%)... Koskinen is 11-1-2 in his last 15 games (14 starts) and has the best points percentage in the NHL since Jan. 22 (.857)...
Injury Report
OILERS - Kyle Turris (undisclosed) is on IR; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (upper body) is on IR.
STARS - Braden Holtby (lower body) is day-to-day; Miro Heiskanen (mononucleosis) is on IR; Ben Bishop (knee) is on IR.
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com