With 6 games left in the season, Oilers fans dont have much to cheer for. Playoffs are a far off fantasy now and with Kucherov so far ahead in points, it's unlikely the Oilers will see any of their players earning big year end rewards….
Or is there?
Leon Draisaitl scored a hat trick against the Kings two nights ago and is now only 3 goals back of Alex Ovechkin for the league lead in goals. No Oilers player has ever won the Rocket Richard trophy and to do so in a league that still has Alex Ovechkin playing would be a sight to behold and something for the team to hang their hat on. You can bet it's been discussed in the room and players are going to be looking for chances to get the puck to Draisaitl whenever they can.
Another outing like the one they had against LA would go a long way in helping #29 out but they will be playing a stingy Stars team tonight.
I was working in Calgary yesterday and ended up actually going to the game. The Flames had issues making crisp passes all night, but a large part of that was due to the trap game the Stars employed. Dallas made the neutral zone a living hell for Calgary and really prevented them from creating anything off the rush… something that is Edmonton's bread and butter.
LINEUP
OILERS
Draisaitl – McDavid – Kassian Lucic – Nuge – Chiasson Gambardella – Brodziak – Currie Rieder – Cave – Gagner
Klefbom – Larsson Nurse – Russell Sekera – Benning
Koskinen
STARS
Benn-Seguin-Dickinson Janmark-Hintz-Radulov Cogliano-Faksa-Comeau Nichuskin-Dowling-Spezza
Lindell-Klinberg Heiskanen-Polak Oleksiak-Lovejoy
Khudobin
3 KEYS TO VICTORY
1) L50N - Leon Draisatl is giving the fans something to cheer for right now. Him and McDavid have combined for more goals as a duo than any other team in the league. Two two are dynamite unleashed together and hopefully fans can watch Leon pot another goal or two tonight.
2) Injuries Ben Bishop went down last night against Calgary and Anton Khubodin came in for relief for the second half of the game. Its unclear at the time of writing this blog who will start for Dallas but either way the Oilers will be playing against a not fresh goalie.
3) Spoilers. It isn't the role Edmonton wanted to be in but the Oilers can at least take solace in trying to make things difficult for the opposition they face who are preparing for the playoffs.