PRE-GAME REPORT: Oilers at Kings

The Edmonton Oilers visit Crypto.com Arena for a pivotal Pacific Division battle against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday afternoon.

You can watch the game on Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada at 2:00 pm MDT or listen live on the Oilers Radio Network, including 880 CHED.

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PRE-GAME REPORT: Oilers at Kings

LOS ANGELES, CA – Two big points on the line with another big player missing from their lineup.

Sounds like more of the same for the Edmonton Oilers, who've had the task of defeating the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com on Saturday afternoon become a whole lot tougher after finding out on Friday that Leon Draisaitl will miss the rest of this four-game road trip with a lower-body injury.

But with the help of their depth scoring in recent games, they've proven they can be up for the challenge.

“It's going to be good,” Viktor Arvidsson said. “These are the games that I personally like to play, and it's going to be fun and competitive, and they're one of the best defensive team in the leagues. It's going to be a real challenge for us.”

“It's going to be a tough game, a hard game, and everybody's fighting for home ice and first in the division. It's going to be a fun game.”

The Oilers can thank their depth with players like Viktor Arvidsson for helping keep confidence high heading into what'll be an important matchup featuring two division rivals who, despite looking destined for another meeting in the first round of the playoffs, continue to fight for every last point to try and finish above the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific.

Two points on Saturday afternoon would go a long way for either team in making that happen.

The Oilers and Kings have won each of their previous three contests while the Golden Knights have dropped two in a row to reduce their points lead in the Pacific over LA and Edmonton to only to three and five points, respectively, with all three teams having eight regular season games remaining.

Edmonton comes into Crypto.com Arena where Los Angeles has the NHL's best home record (28-4-4) with the fewest goals allowed (69) this season, including a 4-3 overtime victory over the Oilers back on Dec. 28.

The home side has won both meetings this season after the Blue & Orange responded close to a week later with a 1-0 win at Rogers Place, and the two teams will wrap up their season series back in Oil Country in the second-last game of the campaign on Apr. 14.

The Oilers will be forced to deal with another injury heading into an important match against the Kings on Saturday afternoon after Head Coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed following Friday's practice that Leon Draisaitl will miss the rest of the team’s four-game road trip with a lower-body injury.

After recording an assist on Arvidsson’s 13^th goal of the season during the second period of Thursday's 3-2 win over the Sharks, Draisaitl would leave the ice later in the frame before being ruled out for the rest of the contest. Draisaitl had three goals and two assists in three games since retuning from a different injury on Mar. 29 that costed him six games, but the German rejoins an injured group for Edmonton that includes Connor McDavid, Trent Frederic, Mattias Ekholm, John Klingberg and Stuart Skinner.

Knoblauch mentioned that Draisaitl's injury is different than the one he sustained earlier this month and that he's expected to be out short-term. The bench boss wouldn't put a timeline on the German forward's recovery other than saying that he'll be ready to go by the start of the playoffs, which you'd expect from a player with the proven ability over his career to play through a lot of pain.

"It's lower body and we don't believe it's going to be something that's going to head into the playoffs," Knoblauch said. "We think he's going to be back well before that, so we're not too concerned – especially with Leon's pain tolerance and the things that he's played through before."

Edmonton could have the instant solution they need to losing Draisaitl in the form of forward Trent Frederic, who was part of the normal rotation during Friday's practice on a line with Adam Henrique and Zach Hyman in hopes of potentially making his Oilers debut as soon as Saturday afternoon in LA.

Knoblauch said there's a 'slight possibility' of Frederic drawing into the lineup versus the Kings, but the Oilers will wait to make a determination on his status until the morning before they potentially have to use an emergency recall to bring a forward up from the Bakersfield Condors to dress 18 skaters.

But when Frederic does get into the lineup – expected to happen before the end of Edmonton's four-game road trip on Monday in Anaheim – the Oilers will immedately add a game-breaking option to their lineup who brings a ton of different elements and can play in a top-six role.

"I'm looking to play hard, bring that physical element, bring some energy and add some goals when I get the chance," Frederic said. "So I'm excited to play whenever my number gets put on the board and I'm itching to get going."

If he is able to play, there wouldn't be a better scenario than one involving his new team needing big contributions in an important rivalry game.

"They're always a good defensive and hard-playing team," Frederic said. "I think it's gonna be a good game. I think it's gonna be a hard game. It might be an ice pack type of game, so it'll be fun."

Edmonton looks to utilize its depth once again on Saturday afternoon names like McDavid, Draisaitl, Ekholm and Skinner out of the lineup, but the remaining roster is feeling confident in their ability to get the job done after playing a vital part in assembling the team's current three-game win streak.

Arvidsson scored for a third straight game, Connor Brown put an end to an 11-game goalless drought and Jeff Skinner added his 15th goal of the season in San Jose as the Oilers rallied to their third straight win on Thursday with the help of their depth on the roster in all positions.

The Swedish forward is heating up at the right time for the Oilers with playoffs on the horizon and the team needing other players to fill bigger roles.

"I think I started the year really confident and played well, but the puck wouldn't go in and I didn't get the production that I wanted," Arvidsson said. "But I feel like I've got back to that and I think I'm playing with the puck better and making more plays trying to be a factor out there."

Goaltender Calvin Pickard was excellent in his fourth straight start by making 27 saves – including a huge last-minute stop on forward Collin Graf to solidify the 3-2 victory late in the third period. Look for the 32-year-old to start again on Saturday afternoon, with back-up Olivier Rodrigue having the potential to garner his first NHL start on Monday in Anaheim.