In their fourth and final meeting of the season, the Edmonton Oilers will host the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday with the goal of sweeping the series. In their three meetings this season, the Oilers have outscored the Ducks 20-7; on February 9, they most recently prevailed 5-3 in Anaheim. With two games remaining, Edmonton, which is now ranked second in the Pacific Division, is six points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the division lead. The Oilers (44-23-4, 92 points) defeated the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 at home on Thursday, and have since won six of their past nine games. In the victory, captain Connor McDavid scored a goal and added two assists, extending his run of multiple points to six games.
Leon Draisaitl recorded three assists in the win over the Kings, extending his point streak to six games (five goals, five assists). Forward Zach Hyman, whose goal streak ended at four games on Thursday, had five goals in his previous four games. Goaltender Stuart Skinner is 33-14-4 with a 2.62 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage in 53 games this season. This month, Skinner is 6-1-2 in 10 appearances, posting a 2.37 GAA and a .918 save percentage. “Like many times, he’s been the difference in the game, and he played really well,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “You’re always asking your goaltenders to make key saves at key moments.”
The Ducks travel to Edmonton looking to avoid a fourth straight loss. Anaheim (24-45-4, 52 points) has just one win over its last 11 games (1-9-1) and is seventh in the Pacific Division. The Ducks are 13-21-2 on the road this season. Anaheim scored two short-handed goals 44 seconds apart in the third period but could not hold on to a 2-1 lead, falling 4-2 to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday after a 4-0 loss at Seattle on Tuesday. “I think the work ethic was there, but we kind of take ourselves out of the game by taking way too many penalties,” said forward Jakob Silfverberg, who scored a goal and an assist in the loss.
