Infinite Patience is:
a) the name of a race horse owned by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
b) what Nugent-Hopkins needs as he works through a scoring slump
c) what Nugent-Hopkins joked he needs when answering questions about his scoring slump
d) all of the above
If you answered d), then you know your RNH trivia and stats.
After posting a career-high of 28 goals last season, Nugent-Hopkins has just one goal on 42 shots so far in 2019/20.
“I feel good out there. Obviously, points-wise, it’s not coming,” said Nugent-Hopkins after Thursday’s practice.
“I’m feel like I’m doing other aspects of my game well. I’m still creating stuff, but you can create a lot and you feel good. At the end of the day, you still have to find a way to break through and get a couple.”
“He’s had some opportunities. We chart a lot of stuff. He’s around some opportunities but not much going in,” said head coach Dave Tippett.
“Not much from the wingers either. When you’re not scoring and your wingers aren’t scoring, nobody’s scoring. That’s kind of where we’re at.”
On Thursday, the Oilers sent Colby Cave to the minors and placed Tomas Jurco on waivers. That paves the way for Josh Archibald (fractured right foot) and Riley Sheahan (neck) to return to the lineup.
“I blocked a shot in Winnipeg (on October 20),” recalled Archibald. “It didn’t show a break. If I could tolerate the pain, they basically said I could play.”
Archibald played two games on it before realizing something still wasn’t right. The foot was X-rayed again and this time it showed a break.
Sheahan took a big hit from Pierre-Luc Dubois last Wednesday in Columbus.
“Just some issues with my neck. I’ve felt pretty good the last few days,” said Sheahan.
The Oilers will host the New Jersey Devils on Friday. Catch the game on 630 CHED with the Face-off Show at 5:30 p.m. The game starts at 7 p.m.
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