The Edmonton Oilers will be aiming to extend their impressive run as they face off against the Minnesota Wild tonight at Xcel Energy Center. Calvin Pickard is set to start in goal for the Oilers after a solid 6-1-0 stretch in his last seven games. Despite Pickard’s excellent form, the Oilers are still awaiting confirmation on the status of veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm, who is considered a game-time decision. Head coach Kris Knoblauch mentioned that Ekholm will be evaluated closer to puck drop.
The Oilers come into this game on the heels of a dominant 7-1 victory over the Wild on December 12. Since that game, Edmonton has been rolling, posting an 11-3-1 record. In contrast, Minnesota has struggled to find consistency, going just 8-8 in the same stretch. The Oilers will look to capitalize on the Wild’s recent downturn and continue building their momentum in the second half of the season.
One of the more interesting storylines for tonight’s game is the return of forward Noah Philp to the lineup. The 24-year-old has been recalled from the Bakersfield Condors and will center a line with Kasperi Kapanen and Corey Perry. This marks Philp’s first game with the big club since November 4th. He has been productive in the AHL this season, collecting 9 goals and 8 assists (17 points) in 28 games, including 3 points in his last 4 games before being recalled yesterday. Philp has also been getting reps on the penalty kill during this morning’s skate, which may suggest a role in special teams tonight. It will be interesting to see how he fares in this key opportunity with the Oilers.
In terms of lineup changes, it looks like Jeff Skinner will be a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game. The Oilers have been experimenting with their forward lines, and Skinner’s absence creates room for Philp to step into the lineup. The lines at morning skate in Minnesota were as follows:
RNH - McDavid - Hyman
Podkolzin - Draisaitl - Arvidsson
Janmark - Henrique - Brown
Perry - Philp - Kapanen
Skinner - Ryan
On the defensive side, the Oilers are hoping Ekholm will be cleared to play, but with him absent from the ice this morning, the team is preparing for the possibility that he may not be available. If Ekholm does sit out, the defensive pairings will likely be as follows:
Nurse - Stecher
Kulak - Bouchard
Emberson - Brown
The Oilers will need to keep their defensive play tight in Ekholm’s potential absence, but given their high-powered offense, they should still be able to generate enough offense to challenge the Wild. With Pickard continuing to shine in goal and the Oilers’ forward lines looking dangerous, Edmonton will look to keep their hot streak alive and get another win on the road.
Pickard will be starting in net, while Skinner will serve as his backup. Puck drop is at 7:00 PM MST, and fans can expect an exciting contest between two teams with very different trajectories since their last meeting.