Edmonton Oilers at Tampa Bay Lightning: GAME 72
Time: 5:00 PM EDT
Location: Amalie Arena
Broadcast/Streaming: SUN
Opponent SBNation Site: Copper n’ Blue
Preview:
The Tampa Bay Lightning head into this afternoon’s game against the Edmonton Oilers looking to respond after ugly back-to-back losses. For a team that’s struggling with defense and goaltending, facing Connor McDavid probably isn’t going to help. But that’s what the Bolts will have to do, and they’ll have to do it with freshly recalled backup goaltender Louis Domingue in net.
Connor Mcdavid has 18 points in his last 10 games and 35 in 22 since February 1st. He’s on pace for 103 points.
On the Oilers.
— /Cam Robinson/ (@CrazyJoeDavola3) March 17, 2018
McDavid is playing like his typical otherworldly self over the last ten games at nearly a two points per game pace. The idea of him slicing through this currently weak Lightning defense is nightmarish. David Pastrnak is a great player, but he’s no McDavid, yet he made the Bolts look silly on the first Bruins goal last night. If the defense doesn’t do a better job tonight, we could see some incredible stuff from the best player in the game.
The Lightning have their own Hart Trophy contender in Nikita Kucherov who hasn’t been far off McDavid’s pace with 14 points in his last ten games. He didn’t score last night for the first time in March. He hasn’t been held scoreless in back-to-back games since the first of February, so look for him to be part of the solution for the Lightning tonight.
The Oilers have had a strange year as a team. We can see that in the comparison chart.
Their overall numbers for the year are still above average. Early in the year, they looked like a good team who was just getting unlucky with shooting percentage. But as the year progressed, they slid further and further down the rankings and now look like just an average team for the year.
In their last ten games, they’ve been terrible. Their defense is among the worst in the league and their offense is just average, which is outrageous considering they have McDavid. Their penalty kill is horrific, and has been all season. The power play is just okay.
As encouraging as it would be for the Lightning to solidify defensively and get some saves, this game seems ripe for a shoot-out. Both teams have offensive firepower and both teams have a proclivity for giving up goals. Maybe a highlight reel-filled palate cleanser would be the reset button the Lightning need to recalibrate as they prepare for the playoffs.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Forward Lines
J.T. Miller – Steven Stamkos – Nikita Kucherov
Yanni Gourde – Brayden Point – Tyler Johnson
Adam Erne – Anthony Cirelli – Alex Killorn
Chris Kunitz – Cedric Paquette – Ryan Callahan
Cory Conacher
Defense
Victor Hedman – Jake Dotchin
Ryan McDonagh – Dan Girardi
Mikhail Sergachev – Anton Stralman
Braydon Coburn – Andrej Sustr
Slater Koekkoek
Goaltending
Louis Domingue
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Edmonton Oilers
Forward Lines
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Connor McDavid – Ty Rattie
Milan Lucic – Ryan Strome – Jesse Puljujarvi
Drake Caggiula – Ryan Strome – Anton Slepyshev
Iiro Pakarinen – Jujhar Khaira – Zack Kassian
Defense
Darnell Nurse – Adam Larsson
Oscar Klefbom – Ethan Bear
Andrej Sekera – Kris Russell
Goaltending
Cam Talbot
Al Montoya
