SAN JOSE, CA – The Edmonton Oilers held an optional morning skate at SAP Center ahead of starting a three-game road trip through California on Thursday night against the San Jose Sharks.
Head Coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed following Wednesday's post-flight practice that goaltender Stuart Skinner will get tonight's start after the Edmonton product made 31 saves on 34 shots in last Friday's 4-3 victory at Madison Square Garden over the New York Rangers.
Knoblauch also revealed that veteran Sam Gagner didn't make the trip to California and will miss the next three games with a short-term injury he sustained late in last week's 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils, where the 34-year-old recorded two assists in 9:49 of ice time.
Winger Dylan Holloway has travelled and is practicing with the team, but the 22-year-old is not expected to suit up during Edmonton's three-game road trip as he sets his sights on early January as a potential return from an 18-game absence due to a lower-body injury.
Derek Ryan recorded an assist filling in at centre on the third line between Evander Kane and Mattias Janmark versus the Rangers and the 36-year-old is comfortable with the position's added responsibilities as a defensive-minded forward.
"There's more responsibility in the defensive zone, but it's a position I've played for a long time in my career and I'm really comfortable with the system that we're playing here with Kris as well," Ryan said. "So I try not to think about that too much. I try and play the same way. I talked about building consistency in our team game, and I'm trying to build consistency in my personal game as well."
Ryan needs one assist to reach 200 for his career.
