PROJECTED LINEUP: Oilers vs. Predators

EDMONTON, AB – Time to hit high gear on home ice.

The Edmonton Oilers will host the Nashville Predators on Sunday to begin an important homestand at Rogers Place that carries plenty of playoff implications, with tonight marking the first of two straight contests against Western Conference postseason competitors in Nashville and San Jose.

The Oilers will face Florida and Tampa Bay this coming Thursday and Saturday.

"We gotta ramp up just to get in," said Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who's approaching 400 career goals (398) and 800 assists (795). "This is a playoff race, and we're in the thick of it. There are 15 games left, and we gotta get our game going and get in. Nothing else should be on our mind other than that."

"We need to have a good homestand. It's a big week for us."

Connor Ingram will get the start for the Oilers after being named their No. 1 netminder by Head Coach Kris Knoblauch, who said that he'll get the majority of starts moving forward but will go with the goalie that gives them the best chance to win each night.

Ingram made 22 saves last time out in Friday's 3-2 comeback defeat to the Blues that ended Edmonton's road trip with five of a possible eight points.

"We've got one back-to-back later in April, so it's not that our goaltender can't be playing all these games," Knoblauch said. "I think it's a heavy workload to be giving Connor all those games, but right now, Connor is our starting goalie. He will get the majority of the starts for now until something changes."

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will be a game-time decision due to a personal matter that kept him out of Friday's defeat in St. Louis, and despite participating in Sunday's morning skate, defenceman Ty Emberson is expected to return "within the week" after leaving last week's win over Colorado with an injury in the first period.

Matt Savoie remained in Nugent-Hopkins' place at the morning skate and has been playing well since the Olympic break with a goal and seven assists in nine games, earning the praise of McDavid along with the rest of their deadline additions.

"Yeah, there are positives," McDavid said. "Obviously, I thought Savvy's played really well since the Olympic break. His game's really gone to another level. Dickinson's come in and been everything that he was hyped up to be, and Murph, just a calm presence on the back end."

Knoblauch also provided an update on the status of forward Colton Dach, who'll miss some time after reaggravating an old injury from his time in Chicago during the win over the Avalanche.

Forward Max Jones will continue to fill the role as a physical option on their fourth line.

"I really like Jones," Knoblauch said. "Jones has played some hockey games for us. He's played really well. It was easy for me to say, 'Yes, I would like Jones to come up here,' and they're very similar players. He fits in the same role and ice time and all that, and the other night he had a really strong game."

View the Oilers Projected Lineup vs. the Predators below:

Savoie - McDavid - Hyman
Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Kapanen
Samanski - Dickinson - Roslovic
Jones - Henrique - Frederic

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Murphy
Walman - Stastney