The Anaheim Ducks will try to match their longest winning streak of the season — two games — when they visit Edmonton on Saturday afternoon.
The Oilers, meantime, will try to rebound blowing a two-goal, third-period lead at home and eventually falling to St. Louis 4-3 on Thursday.
That result dropped Edmonton to 4-3-1 in December, and even though the Oilers are still clinging to a wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference, the game against the Blues was too indicative of what has been an inconsistent, often frustrating season.
“It’s disappointing because the game is right there, but you move on,” Edmonton defenseman Tyson Barrie said. “It’s a game of mistakes. Obviously, we’ve got to learn how to close those ones out.”
The Oilers entered Friday tied for the second-most goals in the NHL this season (112), but had just the 15th-best points percentage overall.
Anaheim, meanwhile, led in three games amid an 0-7-2 road slide that ended with Thursday’s 5-2 victory at Montreal. The Ducks even squandered a 2-0, third-period lead in that contest, but regrouped to score the final three to win their first regulation road contest of the season.
The only time Anaheim has won successive games this season was back on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1.
“We still didn’t sustain a full 60 (minutes) for me, but we sustained much more than we have been,” Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said of the wild victory over the Canadiens.
“You know, when you’re a team like we are right now, in a kind of full rebuild mode, it is tough to sustain it. But that’s the goal every night.”
Troy Terry had a goal Thursday to increase his team-leading point total to 28. Trevor Zegras is right behind with 25, after recording two assists against the Canadiens.
Zegras had a goal with two assists while Anaheim lost all three 2021-22 meetings with Edmonton.
Oilers superstar Connor McDavid posted his 27th goal and 60th point on Thursday to extend his current point streak to 11 games (11 goals, 14 assists) dating back to Nov. 26. He has five goals with nine assists in his last five games against Anaheim.
Teammate Leon Draisaitl, who recorded his 31st assist and 52nd point against St. Louis, has six goals and seven assists during his own five-game stretch against the Ducks.
Meanwhile, the Oilers’ Zach Hyman has scored five times in the last three games amid his nine-game point streak (five goals, 10 assists).
Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner (2.76 goals-against average) made 29 saves Thursday. Meanwhile, teammate Jack Campbell (career-worst 4.04 GAA) has yielded at least three goals in all but two of his 14 starts this season.
On Thursday, Anaheim’s Lukas Dostal made 23 saves in his third game, and second start, since being called up from San Diego of the AHL on Dec. 10. With John Gibson dealing with an undisclosed injury suffered Tuesday against Toronto and Anthony Stolarz on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury, Dostal could be back in the Ducks’ net Saturday.
It’s also possible Olle Eriksson Ek could make his NHL debut in goal for Anaheim in this contest.
–Field Level Media
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