PRE-GAME REPORT: Oilers at Canucks
The Edmonton Oilers pay the Vancouver Canucks a visit Tuesday at Rogers Arena
By
Paul Gazzola
EdmontonOilers.com
YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS
GAME DAY VIDEO
OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game at VAN
PRE-GAME RAW | Coach Tippett
PRE-GAME RAW | Nugent-Hopkins
RECENT VIDEOS
PRACTICE | Looking To Build
RAW | Coach Tippett
RAW | Kassian
Spectacular NWT Play of the Week
BY THE NUMBERS
Oilers Statistics
Canucks Statistics
Game Notes
Stats Comparison
RECENT BLOGS & ARTICLES
BLOG: Feeling the rhythm
BLOG: Monday's practice at Rogers Place
GENE'S BLOG: Klutch Koskinen
VIEWING INFORMATION
You can watch Tuesday's game on Sportsnet at 8:00 PM MT.
News and notes from Monday's practice at Rogers Place, including Zack Kassian and the group's excitement for getting back into a routine on the ice.
>> READ MORE IN THE INSIDE THE OILERS BLOG
VANCOUVER, BC - Let it be known: The Nuge is huge.
Following a six-game absence from Edmonton's lineup due to a lower-body issue, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is expected to get back into the mix against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Burnaby product has rehabbed his injury over the past few weeks, taking time away from the ice before skating on his own while supplementing the recovery with off-ice workouts. On Monday, he was finally cleared to join his squadmates at the team's full practice.
"I definitely feel good physically," the forward said following an optional pre-game skate at Rogers Arena. "The most important thing is getting back out on the ice, feeling your edges again and feeling the puck a little bit. Overall, you never want to be out but I think everything went well. I'm just happy to get back out there."
The 28-year-old's value to the club cannot be understated, factoring into almost every situation on the ice including the power play, even strength and penalty kill. With the versatile forward healthy, Head Coach Dave Tippett is expected to dole Nugent-Hopkins at centre to provide better depth throughout the lineup.
"He's a key factor," the Oilers coach said. "Does a lot of good things on the penalty kill and on the power play. He's been part of that core group for a long time. Getting him back gives us a little boost there. He plays the game smart, is consistent and when you add him to the lineup at 5-on-5, it just makes us a better team."
At Monday's practice, Nugent-Hopkins played pivot alongside Brendan Perlini and Zack Kassian to form a unit that blends speed, skill and some physicality. After Nugent-Hopkins missed six games and Kassian was out due to illness in Saturday's Battle of Alberta, the plan is to keep things simple by getting in on the forecheck and finding space for good looks at the net.
"Those two guys are bigger bodies and good skaters," Nugent-Hopkins said of his linemates. "Give Kass a chance to get on the forecheck and create loose pucks. Pearly's got that heavy shot. You want to give it to him in a good spot where he can let it go then get to the net to get those rebounds and see what can happen from there. We got to play with pace and we got to be hard to play against."
Video: PRE-RAW | Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 01.25.22
BUILDING OFF THE BATTLE
The Oilers snapped a seven-game losing stretch on Saturday by overcoming a two-goal deficit and defeating the Calgary Flames by a score of 5-3.
In that match, Leon Draisaitl and Mikko Koskinen propelled the team to victory as the former registered a four-point game while the latter put forth a 44-save performance - which included possibly one of the best saves of his career. Members of the Orange & Blue are hoping they can build off the victory going forward.
"That was a huge win for us," Nugent-Hopkins said. "There was no letup. You go down two, it can be a little tough, especially being in a losing streak. The way the guys fought back and kept pushing the whole game. That's what we're going to need tonight and against every team moving forward here. More consistency through the 60 minutes. We saw that against Calgary and got the result we needed."
With Koskinen mustering one of his best efforts of the season, the club around him rallied for the win and will look to do so once again when the Finnish netminder gets back in the crease versus the Canucks.
"He battled unbelievably in net for us the other night," Nugent-Hopkins added. "The guys rallied around that and wanted to get some goals and push to win the game and we found a way. We're all in this together. It's never just on one, two or three guys. It's everybody together. I thought it was great to see the whole team rally around Mikko."
LINEUP NOTES
The Oilers held an optional skate Tuesday morning but at Monday's practice, Connor McDavid centred Ryan McLeod and Kailer Yamamoto on the top line while Leon Draisaitl was grouped with Warren Foegele and Jesse Puljujarvi.
As for the fourth line, it looks as though Devin Shore, Derek Ryan and Colton Sceviour will stick together.
At the other end of the ice, the Canucks played with a depleted lineup in their last game against the Blues, missing Thatcher Demko, Jaroslav Halak, J.T. Miller, Conor Garland and Bo Horvat. And on Tuesday, forward Tanner Pearson was also added to COVID-19 Protocol.
Miller will be the only player to return to the lineup from COVID-19 Protocol on Tuesday and netminder Spencer Martin is expected to get the nod in goal as the Canucks look to keep improving upon their 10-4-2 showing since Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach.
"There's going to be nothing easy for us," said Nugent-Hopkins. "They've obviously got more life since the change. They're a work-based team, so we got to prepare for that and also bring that on our side of things. We got to match their work and exceed it."
-- Paul Gazzola, EdmontonOilers.com
OILERS at CANUCKS
WATCH: 8:00 PM MT; televised on Sportsnet
Oilers Team Scope
The Edmonton Oilers returned to the win column Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada after a come-from-behind victory in the Battle of Alberta to halt a seven-game losing stretch. By securing their first win of 2022, the club improved to 19-16-2 on the season, resting sixth in the Pacific Division with 40 points and a .541 points percentage.
The Oilers had the day off on Sunday but got back on the ice at Rogers Place for practice Monday. The team got some good news with the inclusion of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at practice, who centred a line featuring Zack Kassian and Brendan Perlini. Should Nugent-Hopkins receive clearance to play on Tuesday, it would be his first game since Dec. 31 when the Oilers faced the New Jersey Devils.
"If we think he's not going to take a step back tomorrow or isn't sore tomorrow, then he could be a player. We'll make that decision tomorrow morning," said Head Coach Dave Tippett.
Defenceman Tyson Barrie and forward Zach Hyman, however, were absent from Monday's team skate. Barrie is dealing with a lower- and upper-body issue while Hyman hasn't been cleared to return from COVID-19 Protocol.
Canucks Team Scope
The Vancouver Canucks are coming off a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues in the second of a three-game homestand that has the club at 0-1-1.
In their latest match, Vancouver had to dress 22-year-old netminder Michael DiPietro because Thatcher Demko and Jaroslav Halak were placed in COVID-19 Protocol. Not only did the Canucks have to turn to DiPietro, a 2017 third-round pick, and an emergency backup in goal, but other areas of the lineup were affected by the absence of J.T. Miller, Bo Horvat and Conor Garland against the Blues due to COVID-19 Protocol as well.
After starting the season with an 8-15-2 record through 25 games under former Head Coach Travis Green, the Canucks have gone 10-4-2 with Bruce Boudreau at the helm. Since Boudreau has manned the bench, Vancouver has a .688 points percentage, 2.56 goals per game average, 2.13 goals against per game clip and a 94.2 special teams sum (22 percent power play and 72.2 percent penalty kill). The Canucks also have the fourth-best record in the Western Conference since Dec. 6.
Video: PRE-RAW | Dave Tippett 01.25.22
By The Numbers
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have nine four-point games since 2020-21, which leads all players ... The two have combined on 29 goals this season ... The Orange & Blue are 32-for-105 on the power play this season, ranking 1st in the NHL with a 30.5 percent average ... The Oilers have been outscored 26-14 in January ... Edmonton has allowed one power-play goal against in each of their last eight games and in 13 of their last 15 ... EDM has allowed the first goal against in nine straight and in 15 of their last 16 outings ...
Vancouver's defence has produced seven goals this season, which is the fewest in the League ... The Canucks have the lowest shooting percentage in the NHL at 7.4 percent (100 goals on 1,346 shots) ... The team's 2.13 goals-against average since Dec. 6 is the second-fewest in the NHL over that span ... The Canucks have drawn 136 penalties this season, which ties them with the Tampa Bay Lightning for second-most in the NHL.
Injury Report
OILERS - Tyson Barrie (lower, upper body); Zach Hyman (COVID-19 Protocol) is out; Mike Smith (torn thumb) is on IR.
CANUCKS - Spencer Martin (COVID-19 Protocol) is day-to-day; Thatcher Demko (COVID-19 Protocol) is day-to-day; Bo Horvat (COVID-19 Protocol) is on IR; J.T. Miller (COVID-19 Protocol) is on IR; Conor Garland (COVID-19 Protocol) is on IR; Jaroslav Halak (COVID-19 Protocol) is on IR; Guillaume Brisebois (undisclosed) is on IR.
-- Paul Gazzola, EdmontonOilers.com
