Home Sweet Home

It is time to take advantage of some home cooking. A 4 game home stand starting tonight vs the Blue Jackets and of the 14 games remaining, 10 are at home! The Oilers are 16-10-5 at home which is 22nd in the league. Not all that impressive but there is time to turn that around.

STATS:

Oilers:

PP - 29.8% 1st in NHL

PK - 84.5% 2nd in NHL

Last 10 - 5-3-2

GF/G - 3.16 12th in NHL

GA/G - 3.04 16th in NHL

Blue Jackets:

PP - 16.9% 26th in NHL

PK - 81.2% 14th in NHL

Last 10 - 2-4-4

GF/G - 2.60 26th in NHL

GA/G - 2.62 4th in NHL

LINES:

Oilers:

RNH - McDavid - Kassian

Ennis - Draisaitl - Yamamoto

Athanasiou - Sheahan - Archibald

Neal - Khaira - Chiasson

Klefbom - Larsson

Nurse - Bear

Jones - K. Russell

Koskinen

Mikko gets the start after coming in for Mike Smith vs Chicago. Big news is that Tippett broke up the hottest line in the NHL. He put Nuge up with McDavid and Kassian. I get changing things up but why that line? That line has combined for 112 points since being put together. I may not understand the move but this is new territory for the Oilers and the territory is depth! This is a good thing! Having all of this depth is a good thing. The Oilers also get Oscar Klefbom back who will slot right in on the 1st powerplay unit again! The leagues best PP gets better somehow! He will also play key minutes on the PK and of course 5 on 5 which he is 2nd on the team in TOI with 19:15.

Columbus:

Gustav Nyquist - Boone Jenner - Nick Foligno

Alexander Wennberg - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Emil Bemstrom

Kevin Stenlund - Riley Nash - Eric Robinson

Jakob Lilja - Devin Shore - Stefan Matteau

Vladislav Gavrikov - David Savard

Zach Werenski - Markus Nutivaara

Scott Harrington - Andrew Peeke

Joonas Korpisalo

The Blue Jackets have been a major slump recently and the injury bug has hit them. Key injuries to Oliver Bjorkstrand, Nathan Gerbe, Brandon Dubinsky, Cam Atkinson, Seth Jones, Josh Anderson, Ryan Murray and their mascot Stinger! Who is out with a broken wing. That being said the top line has been clicking recently. Nick Foligno in his last 7 games has 7 points and Gus Nyquist has goals in 2 straight.

PREDICTIONS:

1. The Oilers have to capitalize on the injured Blue Jackets. Mikko has been playing solid lately so I say the Oilers win 4-2 with an empty netter.

2. Klefbom gets a point. Powerplay too!

3. My beer league team pumps the game throughout the coronation arena so I can at least hear the last period of the game. (That one is not so likely)

UP NEXT

Mon Mar 9 vs Vegas

Wed Mar 11 vs Jets

Fri Mar 13 vs NY Islanders

Sun Mar 15 @ Phi Flyers

Mon Mar 16 @ Washington