PROJECTED LINEUP: Samanski poised to make playoff debut in Game 2 against Ducks

EDMONTON, AB – Josh Samanski is expected to make his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in place of the injured Adam Henrique as the Edmonton Oilers look to take a 2-0 lead on the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 of their first-round series on Wednesday at Rogers Place.

"I'd be excited," Samanski said of his potential playoff debut. "It'd be special. I'm not really a nervous guy, so just be happy to get out there."

"Just watching the game and seeing the fans and how much pride they have, the boys battling, it made me really want to be on the ice. So I'm just excited to get out there."

Samanski was at centre between Colton Dach and Trent Frederic on the fourth line during this morning's pre-game skate and looks poised to fill the role of Henrique, who collided with Kasperi Kapanen at 17:51 of the first period of Game 1 on Monday and was forced to leave the contest with a lower-body injury.

Jason Dickinson wasn't on the ice for the morning skate and is a game-time decision.

Samanski has risen through the ranks quickly over the past year since he signed a two-year contract with the Oilers last April from overseas, posting 31 points (eight goals) in 45 AHL games with the Bakersfield Condors before arriving in Edmonton, where he produced two goals and two assists in 24 NHL games.

Back in February, Samanski joined Leon Draisaitl at the Winter Olympics and had a goal and an assist over five games for Team Germany, further raising his stock as one of the great up-and-coming talents both internationally and for the Oilers.

The 24-year-old earned the trust of the coaching staff as a reliable two-way centre upon his call-up to the Oilers in January and could assume some of Henrique's penalty-kill responsibilities on Wednesday in addition to his role as a fast and physical forward who has chemistry with Dach and Frederic.

"We've been very happy with him all year," Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said. "We anticipate him being an Oiler in the future. We weren't really expecting it to be so fast and probably more down the road and maybe next year, but since he came to training camp, he's been outstanding and caught our attention immediately.

"Then he went down to Bakersfield, played some AHL games, and played very well down there in more of a defensive role. When we needed players and we called him up, he came up and played a few games and fit right in."

Now, the 24-year-old is on the verge of dressing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time, looking to build on that role as a two-way centre and make his mark with the Oilers, who have the opportunity to take a 2-0 series lead back to Orange County.

"Building my game and taking pride in the D zone, battling for pucks and trying to do the little things right," he said. "Obviously, it's not easy for the coach to trust a young guy, especially.  I played in the (Deutsche Eishockey Liga) last year, and I'm not sure what to expect. Our staff and my teammates did a great job helping me adjust, so I think just all of that."

As a team, the Oilers are looking to clean up some of the mistakes they made in the second period of Game 1 on Monday, after Anaheim scored three times by capitalizing on Edmonton's slow start to begin the frame and denying them exits from their D zone.

The power play was also limited to 0-for-2, but the depth scoring came through with a pair of goals from Kasperi Kapanen and Jason Dickinson, who helped the Oilers rally in the third period to take Game 1 and steal the victory with 1:54 to go in regulation.

"This time of year, you have to elevate, or else you're dead in the water," Jake Walman said. "I think everybody brings it, and at this point, especially this group, we kind of know how to elevate.  So like I said, not going to be easy.  But if everybody can bring that type of game, we can put ourselves in a good spot."

View the Oilers Projected Lineup vs. the Ducks for Game 2 below:

Savoie - McDavid - Hyman
Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Kapanen
Nugent-Hopkins - Lazar - Roslovic
Dach - Samanski - Frederic

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Murphy
Walman - Emberson

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