Anaheim Ducks vs Edmonton Oilers Preview
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Fresh off the win in Calgary, the Anaheim Ducks head to Edmonton to take on former Ducks goalie Viktor Fasth and the Edmonton Oilers.
The Ducks are crawling their way back to the lead of the Pacific Division one game at a time, but they can’t afford to take it easy just yet. The Oilers are not in a playoff position, but they can make a stand by not letting the Ducks sweep them in the season series.
Game starts at 6:30 p.m.
Season Series: 2-0-0
Last Match-Up: 5-2 (Jan 3. 2014)
The Ducks will face the Oilers three more times (including tonight) the remainder of the regular season and Anaheim’s goal will be to take all three wins to sweep Edmonton. The last meeting between these two clubs revealed a one-sided game with the winning goal by Ducks’ defenseman Ben Lovejoy.
Keys to the Game:
1. Split The Defense: The last time the Ducks played Edmonton they exploited the relaxed defense of the Oilers and they need to continue this in order to open up the ice.
2. Shoot: The Ducks need to take shots from the point as they set up the screen on the goalie. This led to great success when they last met.
1. Speed: Edmonton has been a slow team as of late, but if they can rev up on the breakaway they have a chance to take the early lead.
2. Play The Boards: If the defense can force Anaheim’s forwards to play along the boards they’ll take away the center of the ice and will not be able be split the defense.
Who To Watch:
1. Mathieu Perreault has four goals and two assists in his last six games.
2. Andrew Cogliano scored the decisive goal in the Calgary game and his speed could be the difference maker in this match-up.
1. Sam Gagner is one of Edmonton’s star forwards, but having missed two practices is not a definite starter.
2. Anton Belov is critical for defense, but has been out since late January with an abdominal injury. He is expected to return to the line-up this game.
Starting Goalies:
Jonas Hiller: 29-11-6, 2.38 GAA, .915 SV%
Ben Scrivens: 13-13-4, 2.38 GAA, .926 SV%
Team Stats:
47-18-7, 101 points (Last 10: 4-4-2)
25-39-9, 59 points (Last 10: 4-5-1)
Anaheim traded goalie Viktor Fasth over to Edmonton and they may face the former teammate in net. Fasth left practice early with a neck injury and most likely won’t suit up against the Ducks.
The Ducks have been struggling in the last dash for the playoffs, but they have been able to take points in six of their last ten games. This game is a critical two points for the Ducks as they try and catch up to Pacific Division leader the San Jose Sharks. They face an easier route to the end than most other clubs and they need to take advantage by getting as many wins as possible.
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