To the surprise of many, the Edmonton Oilers came out victorious in their last game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Although a close 4-3 overtime win, it was a big morale boost for the team to grind out a win against one of the top teams in the league. It helped improve the Oilers’ record to 9-7-4 as they sit just outside of the Western Conference wildcard spot.
The Oilers hope to keep the momentum rolling as they take on the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. It is their fourth stop along their season high seven game road trip and the team seems to be slowly putting the pieces together after a rocky start.
Players to watch
Connor McDavid
It almost feels like low-hanging fruit to say the Oilers captain Connor McDavid is a player to watch but he has been red-hot all month. Through eight games he has amassed 16 points (six goals, 10 assists). At multiple points he has almost singlehandedly kept his club in games and he will look to extend his point streak and add to his gaudy totals this month.
Jake Walman
The Oilers top four defenceman, Jake Walman started off hot when he returned from injury but has since cooled down considerably. Through 14 games this season, he has scored three goals and seven assists for 10 points. However, over the past three games he has been held off the score sheet entirely. Tonight he will look to break that record and help the Oilers drown the Sabres.
Andrew Mangiapane
Speaking of players that have cooled down, Andrew Mangiapane was off to a great start to his Oilers career. He notched points in each of the first three games of the season scoring two goals and one assist over that span. Since, his production has dipped and he has three points over the past 17 games and zero in his past five outings. He too will look to break through and help the Oilers defeat the Sabres.
Zach Hyman
Last game was the season debut for Oilers top line winger, Zach Hyman. He made his presence known, racking up an assist as well as 11 hits. His impressive play in his first game back after a lengthy wrist injury shows how important he is to this team. Hopefully he can build upon that and be an impactful piece of the game against the Sabres as well.