The Edmonton Oilers return home Saturday to face the Colorado Avalanche at Rogers Place, seeking consistency after recent losses. Colorado leads the NHL with an 8-1-5 record and boasts strong offensive contributions from key players. Edmonton aims to address third-period struggles in this key matchup.
The Edmonton Oilers host the Colorado Avalanche at Rogers Place on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. MDT, kicking off a two-game homestand broadcast on Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada. Coming off back-to-back defeats in St. Louis and Dallas, where they blew multi-goal third-period leads, the Oilers have now conceded such leads six times this season, resulting in four losses.
Captain Connor McDavid emphasized the need for urgency. “Probably a little bit more desperate, a little more urgency to win games,” McDavid said after Friday's practice at the Downtown Community Arena. “I think we're putting ourselves in good spots. We're not closing them out, and that's a thing we're normally pretty good at. So, it hasn't been the trend this year, but something we’ve got to figure out.”
McDavid also highlighted using speed effectively against Colorado's fast squad. “Obviously, we can skate and they can skate,” he noted. “They got some special players over there that really move well... We’ve got to start using it, though. Get in on the forecheck, get some pucks back and get through the neutral zone.”
Defenceman Mattias Ekholm views the game as a measuring stick. “It's a great challenge for us,” McDavid added, while Ekholm said, “It’s all the things you can ask for... We know they’ve had a good start to the season, but usually, we have really good games against them.”
The Avalanche sit atop the NHL standings with an 8-1-5 record, their only regulation loss a 3-2 defeat to the Boston Bruins on Oct. 25. They recently won 3-2 against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday after an overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks. Leading scorers include Nathan MacKinnon (20 points), Cale Makar (18) and Martin Necas (18), all with a combined plus-28 rating. Goaltender Scott Wedgewood has eight wins, filling in for the injured Mackenzie Blackwood, who missed the season's first month.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch focused practice on defensive involvement. “They have to be able to make plays,” he said of the defencemen. “They’ve got to be able to get shots through, break out the puck well and score off the rush.” Alec Regula returns from injury, pairing with Darnell Nurse after a strong earlier showing against Vancouver. Forward Mattias Janmark is very close to returning, possibly Saturday or Monday against the Blue Jackets, while Zach Hyman could be back within the week on the upcoming seven-game road trip.
Following this homestand, Edmonton heads east for limited practice time, making Saturday's preparation crucial.