After struggling for a stretch after the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, the Edmonton Oilers (40-24-4) appear to be hitting their stride at the right time, as the team prepares to face off against an impressive Winnipeg Jets (47-18-4) team.
The Oilers are riding a three-game winning streak as they host the Jets at Rogers Place on Thursday night. In that arena, the Oilers have put together a 21-11-2 record this season. The Jets have gone 22-13-0 on the road.
The Oilers last played on Tuesday night, when they dismantled the Utah Hockey Club by a score of 7-1.
“All four lines are rolling,” Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse said this week. “(The) penalty kill has stepped up.
“There’s been a lot of good stuff defensively … our goaltenders have also been awesome for us.”
Defensively, Edmonton has been buoyed by the addition of Jake Walman to the team’s blue line just before the NHL trade deadline.
Top-pairing defender Mattias Ekholm returned to the team’s lineup on Tuesday after missing time with an injury. The game against Utah saw winger Zach Hyman also return from a brief absence.
Winnipeg Jets’ Josh Morrissey (44) battles Edmonton Oilers’ Zach Hyman (18) during second period NHL action in Edmonton on Wednesday October 9, 2024.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken
Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been particularly impressive for Edmonton recently, accumulating six points in his last two games.
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“(The) game can be funny,” he said of his recent offensive outburst. “Sometimes you do all the right things and nothing shows up on the scoresheet. Sometimes you get some bounces and they go in for you.”
Nugent-Hopkins, who plays both wing and centre, has been playing the latter more recently and said he has been touching the puck more as a result — something Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch echoed.
“When you get to play in the middle, you’re always moving, you’re in motion,” Knoblauch said. “The puck, you touch it probably twice as much as if you’re on the wall.”
During Edmonton’s current winning streak, Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have been excellent in the net, stopping a combined 74 of 77 shots, resulting in a .961 save percentage.
The Oilers have a 6-4-0 record in their last 10 games while the Jets have gone 5-4-1.
The Jets are tied with the Washington Capitals for top spot in the NHL standings in terms of points, each with 98 so far this season.
Prime minister joins Oilers for morning skate on Thursday
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who grew up in Edmonton, joined the Oilers for their morning skate on Thursday, sporting an Oilers jersey with the number 24 on the back and his last name stitched onto it.
Carney, who was sworn into office last week, is in Alberta to meet with Premier Danielle Smith and to make a housing announcement in the provincial capital.
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