PREVIEW: Oilers vs. Ducks

The Edmonton Oilers return home for three games at Rogers Place this week starting on Tuesday night when they host the Anaheim Ducks.

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

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EDMONTON, AB – It’s time to lock things down for the stretch run.

After navigating a challenging 1-4-0 road trip to the East Coast, the Edmonton Oilers feel they’re experienced adversity at the right time to help them re-establish their game entering the final stretch of the regular season as they prepare to host the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday at Rogers Place.

"It doesn't matter who you are. You go through stretches where you're not playing to the standard that you want, and I think for us, we definitely went through that stretch," defenceman Darnell Nurse said. "It feels like we're making momentum and gaining our game back. With that said, though, it's got to continue.

"Once you start to set your standard as a team, it needs to continue and evolve from there."

The Oilers return to Rogers Place this week for three games after ending a five-game losing streak and a difficult road trip to the East Coast with a 3-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. Calvin Pickard had to make 35 saves including a last-minute breakaway stop on Sebastian Aho to preserve the win, earning himself his seventh victory in his last eight starts and tying his career-high for wins with 15 (2016-17 with COL).

Adam Henrique recorded a shorthanded goal and Corey Perry notched his 13^th goal of the season for the Oilers, who finally got themselves back in the win column coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break after feeling better about their effort levels in the previous two games against Florida and Carolina.

"I thought we played two high-end teams and competed hard," winger Connor Brown said. "I think at the end of the day, our compete level was ramped up. We were winning one-on-one battles, holding onto pucks and just playing off the forecheck a little more too. I thought we were just getting the puck behind them, simplifying our game and not giving them anything. So, you know, they kind of had to earn their chance and stuff.

"It was a building block, so it's a good time of the year to go through that type of adversity and identify some holes in your game and get better."

With 22 regular-season games remaining, the Oilers feel they can push on from their recent struggles and put themselves in a good position to challenge for first place in the Pacific Division before hitting their stride in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"We're excited to string some together here to play our best hockey coming down the stretch. That's what matters," Connor McDavid said. "It's not about who starts the season best or has the best December or January – it's about who can come down the stretch hot and go into the playoffs on a high note. That's what we're excited about."

McDavid will be excited to be back in Oil Country after spending three weeks on the road winning the 4 Nations Face-Off with Canada before joining his Oilers teammates in Philadelphia two weekends ago for the start of their five-game road trip out East. The Oilers captain has a goal and six assists over his last 10 games, but all of them have come on the power play, and he's gone a career-worst stretch of 179:04 without an even-strength point.

In what will be his 700th NHL game on Tuesday, McDavid is hoping to break that spell against an Anaheim team he's dominated over his career with at least point in 23 of his last 25 games (15G, 37A) and 14 of his last 15 (11G, 24A). No player in the League owns the Ducks like McDavid, who is averaging 1.77 points per game (min. 10 GP) against them this season.

The Oilers are 11-2-0 in their last 13 games against the Ducks while averaging 5.3 goals per game.

"It's been a lot. It's been difficult," he said. "This last road trip was tough obviously for the group but personally as well, so it's nice to get home, see the dog and sleep in my own bed."

The Oilers and Ducks will face off for the third time this season after both sides each won one of their previous meetings on home ice. The Oilers were beaten 5-3 at the Honda Center on Dec. 29 before facing them again five days later on Jan. 3 at Rogers Place and rersponding with a 3-2 win.

Darnell Nurse had a goal and two assists, and the Oilers will be hoping their defenceman will be alright to play on Tuesday after he missed the final two games of Edmonton's road trip with an undisclosed injury.

"Darnell looked really good," Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said after Monday's practice. "I haven't checked in with our medical staff, but I think there's a very good likelihood that he will [play]."

Brett Kulak missed Monday's practice because of an illness but isn't expected to miss time, while players who were part of the 4 Nations Face-Off in Mattias Ekholm, Viktor Arvidsson and Connor McDavid were given the option to skate, but McDavid was quick to take the chance to get on the ice.

"Connor just he wants to be part of the team. He always wants to contribute. He doesn't ever want any exceptional treatment. He doesn't want to be singled out," Knoblauch added. "All the players are there and he felt that he was able to play and wants to participate and he wants to help the team."

The Ducks are one of the NHL's most-improved teams from last year (.360 to .500 win percentage) and are still chasing the Calgary Flames for the final Wildcard spot in the Western Conference, trailing by six points with a 26-26-7 record.

Defenceman Jackson LaCombe is currently on a five-game point streak (2G, 4A) and has 11 goals and 30 points in 52 games this season.