A Warm Road Trip

After a HUGE win and I mean HUGE with a capital HU, the Oilers start a 3 game road trip in Tampa to take on the Lightning. Usually this road trip would be one where I'd say "Well if they get 1 point in 3 games I'll be happy!" This is different.

As you know the Oilers are a little banged up, no Connor and no James Neal. On the other side the Lightning are equally banged up. No Stamkos, no Kucherov, no Mcdonagh AND no Cirelli.

LINES:

RNH - Draisaitl - Yamamoto

Gagner - Haas - Chiasson

Archibald - Sheahan - Kassian

Khaira - Cave - P. Russell

Nurse - Bear

Klefbom - Larsson

Jones - Benning

Smith

Ondrej Palat - Brayden Point - Alex Volkov

Alex Killorn - Tyler Johnson - Mathieu Joseph

Patrick Maroon - Cedric Paquette - Yanni Gourde

Carter Verhaeghe - Mitchell Stephens

Victor Hedman - Erik Cernak

Mikhail Sergachev - Kevin Shattenkirk

Braydon Coburn - Luke Schenn,

Cameron Gaunce

Vasilevskiy

Possible that Gaunce could play up at forward as well.

A key will be to stop the Tampa PP as they are clicking at 24% which is 5th in the league.

Goaltending will be a huge factor tonight as well because both are HOT! Mike Smith is 8-0-2 in his last 10 while Vasilevskiy is 17-0-2 in his last 19 which is outrageous.

Look for the top line for the Oilers to stay hot after Leons 4 point night and Yamo's 2 goal performance.

Braydon Point has been on a heater as of late. He is on an 8 game point streak tallying 12 points in those games.

After this they play back to back against Florida on Saturday and Carolina on Sunday.

PREDICTIONS:

1. Oilers win in Overtime 4-3 with a goal from Nuge

2. A guy we have never heard of scores for Tampa most likely 1st of the game as well

3. Gene Principe is shirtless for the Pre-game.