Edmonton Oilers primed to play Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators will be on the prowl Thursday night at Rogers Place as they face the Edmonton Oilers.

Last year’s Western Conference winners lost their first two games of the season, but have been beaten only five times in 28 outings since then. Wednesday night, Nashville drilled Vancouver 7-1.

They’re 9-1-2 since Nov. 18.

“They’re a great team. For us right now, that will be a tremendous test,” said Oilers head coach Todd McLellan.

The Oilers are trying to keep rolling after three strong games on the road. The Oilers outshot Montreal, Toronto, and Columbus by a combined total of 120-73, winning two of three.

“We got drilled here against Philly (last Wednesday),” McLellan said. “We didn’t play an exceptionally emotional or a hard game. Maybe that was finally the slap that we needed to get our group going.”

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“I don’t know what it was. I think everyone is just playing well, playing as a group, playing the right way,” captain Connor McDavid said.

The Oilers enter Thursday’s action seven points out of a playoff spot. They’ll try to improve on their woeful 5-9-0 home record. Their expected lineup is:

Lucic – McDavid – Puljujarvi

Maroon – Nugent-Hopkins – Cammalleri

Khaira – Draisaitl – Strome

Slepyshev – Letestu – Kassian

Nurse – Russell

Klefbom – Benning

Auvitu – Davidson

Brossoit

Catch the Oilers and Predators on 630 CHED with the City Ford Face-off Show at 5:30 p.m. The game starts at 7 p.m.