Montreal Canadiens v Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers continue their three-game homestand this week with a visit from the Montreal Canadiens at Rogers Place on Thursday night.

You can watch the game on Sportsnet West at 7:00 MST or listen live on the Oilers Radio Network, including 880 CHED.

Subscribe to Oilers+ to unlock the Pre-Game & Post-Game Shows, along with more exclusive live and behind-the-scenes content, including The Drop documentary series.

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected

      Kris provides an update on the team & Mattias Ekholm on Wednesday

      EDMONTON, AB – Adversity breeds resilience.

      After losing 6-2 to the Anaheim Ducks earlier in the week, the Edmonton Oilers will be looking to respond on home ice with a visit from the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night in the second game of their three-game homestand at Rogers Place.

      The Oilers returned to Rogers Place this week from a challenging road trip with renewed confidence from a 3-1 win over the Hurricanes on Saturday that put an end to their five-game losing streak.

      After getting the opening goal through Leon Draisaitl's league-leading 45th goal of the season on Tuesday night, the Oilers were in a good position before falling behind 4-1 by the end of the first period. The Ducks scored six unanswered in an eventual 6-2 loss for the Oilers.

      Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each posted a goal and an assist, with McDavid snapping his seven-game goalless drought with one on the power play during the third period. Both of McDavid's points came on the power play, and he's gone a career high 11 straight games without an even-strength point.

      Calvin Pickard stopped 35 of 36 shots for the Oilers in their 3-1 win over the Hurricanes on Mar. 1, but after being awarded back-to-back starts for the first time this season, the netminder gave up four goals on 11 shots in the first period before being replaced by Stuart Skinner to begin the next frame.

      “If there is any group that has faced adversity, it is this one,” Zach Hyman said after Wednesday's practice. “The way through that is work and keeping it simple and just going out there and understanding how good this team is.”

      Video Player is loading.
      Current Time 0:00
      Duration 0:00
      Loaded: 0%
      Stream Type LIVE
      Remaining Time 0:00
       
      1x
        • Chapters
        • descriptions off, selected
        • captions off, selected

          Zach speaks to the media at Rogers Place after Wednesday's skate

          Despite Leon Draisaitl recording a point in his 12th straight game against Anaheim, he and his second line would finish with a -4 plus-minus, but the need for the entire roster to improve was apparent all around in the many giveaways and mistakes that ended up snowballing into Edmonton's 6-2 defeat.

          After recording a 14-game point streak from Dec. 5 to Jan. 4, Leon Draisaitl has been on another 12-game point streak since Jan. 27. Since Dec. 5, Draisaitl has been held without a point in just two of 36 games.

          “My job is to defend just as much as scoring goals. My role is to provide offense of course, but my role is also not to be minus four,” Draisaitl joked on Wednesday. “Two of those goals were on me.”

          The Oilers completed a three-team trade on Tuesday, acquiring Trent Frederick and Max Jones from the Boston Bruins.

          Trent Frederic, 27, a St. Louis native, has played 57 games for the Bruins this season, recording eight goals, seven assists and 155 hits after leading the team with 204 last season, but the 2016 first-round pick will likely be sidelined for two-to-three more weeks with an injury.

          “With Frederic, you've got a 200-foot player, physical, can play anywhere in the lineup,” Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said. “For me as a coach, it gives me some flexibility. It gives us some bite and edge that we can use.”

          Max Jones is expected to make his Oilers debut on Thursday after officially being called up from the Bakersfield Condors, along with defenceman Cam Dineen on an emergency basis. A native of Rochester, Mich., Jones was originally Anaheim's first-round selection in 2016.

          “Max Jones is that player, too. We need a spark offensively and I think he can chip in every once in a while,” Knoblauch added. “He adds a little sandpaper to our team, and he makes us harder to play against.”

          Video Player is loading.
          Current Time 0:00
          Duration 0:00
          Loaded: 0%
          Stream Type LIVE
          Remaining Time 0:00
           
          1x
            • Chapters
            • descriptions off, selected
            • captions off, selected

              Leon speaks to the media on Wednesday after Oilers practice

              Mattias Ekholm was limited in the third period on Tuesday against the Ducks, and Coach Knoblauch noted that he's been dealing with a few issues since before the 4 Nations Face-Off that have piled up for him.

              Ekholm didn't practice on Wednesday, while Knoblauch said the team is evaluating if a rest for their Swedish defenceman could be necessary.

              “I don’t think there is a secret for what he needs to do. Mostly, it is up to the medical staff if he would benefit from time off," he said.

              The Montreal Canadiens are riding a streak of their own as they have won a season-high five straight games. The Canadiens won their only meeting with the Oilers this season by a 3-0 score, holding both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl without a point. That marked the sixth time they held McDavid and Draisaitl without a point in the same game.

              Only the Calgary Flames have shut out McDavid & Draisaitl more (10 times).

              Captain Nick Suzuki has led the way on this winning streak for the Canadiens with 13 points since the end of the 4 Nations break, good for second in the league. Cole Caufield has a career-high 30 goals this season and is responsible for 16.5 percent of the Canadiens’ goals this season – fifth-highest in the NHL. Leon Draisaitl is first by scoring 22.8 percent of Edmonton's goals.

              The similarities don’t end there, as both Caufield and Draisaitl are the only players in the NHL this season with 20+ even strength goals and 10+ power play goals. They are also the only players to have 20 or more road goals this season.