It’s a slump for the Edmonton Oilers power play.
Yes, the unit does lead the league at 32 per cent going into Thursday night’s home game against the Boston Bruins. However, it’s just 1 for 16 in the last five games, including 0 for 5 against Minnesota on Tuesday.
“Every game is different. We have a bunch of power plays last game. Early in the year, that was deadly for us if we got power plays,” said head coach Dave Tippett. “There are experiences you go through in games like that that you work off. When it doesn’t go right, what else happens right? You’re trying to build your game all the way through it.”
“We started off really, really hot. Over the course of the season, you go through lulls,” said forward Zach Hyman. “As the season goes on, penalty killers watch a lot of video. They see what you’re doing and they adapt. You have to adapt to that.”
Defenceman Cody Ceci is expected to return after missing four games while in COVID protocol.
The Oilers expected lineup is:
Hyman – McDavid – Puljujarvi
Nugent-Hopkins – Draisaitl – Yamamoto
Foegele – McLeod – Kassian
Shore – Ryan – Sceviour
Nurse – Bouchard
Russell – Ceci
Niemelainen – Barrie
Skinner
The Oilers (16-8) and the Bruins (12-8-2) are on 630 CHED with the Face-off Show starting at 5:30 p.m. The game starts at 7 p.m.
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