EDMONTON, AB - The Oilers host the Anaheim Ducks Saturday night, with the match determining who will sit in the sole position of second place in the Pacific Division. Both teams enter the game with 28 points, three back of the first-place San Jose Sharks who have 31.
The last time the Oilers played the Ducks, they were handed a 4-1 loss at the Honda Center. Their power play was cold, going 0-for-4 but they still outshot their opponent 35-27.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid stressed the need for his club to reduce their errors if they want to win this time around.
"We've just got to limit the mistakes," McDavid said. "We gave them an early goal on a crappy line change and that kind of changed the whole dynamic of the game. We have to learn to limit those mistakes against a team like this that defends well."
KESLER IS 'BEST SHUT-DOWN GUY IN THE LEAGUE'
Head coach Todd McLellan's decision to merge the offence of Leon Draisaitl with McDavid and Milan Lucic proved to be highly successful Thursday night against the Winnipeg Jets. The trio registered eight points in a 6-3 win. McLellan will keep that line intact against the Ducks. The high-powered group could see a lot of premier checking centre Ryan Kesler.
"Obviously Kesler's line, I think, is one of the top lines in the League right now," McLellan said. "They're able to check and they produce a lot of offence for the team."
McDavid, who is no stranger to facing the top centres in the League, remarked on matching up against the Ducks pivot.
"He's the guy that I would say is the best shut-down guy in the league," he said. "He plays a hard game and never seems to go away, so it's a guy that's never a lot of fun to play against."
FAYNE IN
McLellan disclosed the news that defenceman Darnell Nurse has a lower-body injury and will be out long-term. He has been placed on the injured reserve and the Oilers called up defender Dillon Simpson. Filling in for Nurse tonight will be veteran Mark Fayne, who last played on October 18 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Fayne will pair up with Oscar Klefbom.
"He's a veteran, so he understands what the pace is going to be like and the intensity of the game, but he hasn't played for a while," said McLellan. "We'll take a look at how he's adapting to the game, manage his minutes. Keep his game simple, he should be able to defend well."
In only 2:27 played against the Hurricanes, Fayne managed to record an assist but did not finish the game due to an injury.
"Right after the injury it was pretty slow for a little while," Fayne said. "The last few weeks I've been skating a lot, getting a lot of practices so I feel good. It's kind of like the first game of the season all over again. Just have to approach it like that and go from there."
The Oilers are 1-8-1 in their last 10 games played against the Ducks.
-- Paul Gazzola, EdmontonOilers.com
