Oilers goaltender Mike Smith has a simple goal heading into his team’s exhibition game against the Calgary Flames tomorrow night.
“Make some saves,” he told reporters Monday with a laugh.
The pre-playoff Battle of Alberta will give both teams their one and only warm-up before the modified, bubble-hosted Stanley Cup playoffs get underway on Saturday.
“We'll have a little taste of what it's going to be like tomorrow night and then it's go time,” said Smith.
That time will come Saturday afternoon in Game 1 of the team’s qualifying round against the Chicago Blackhawks.
“It’s such a short turnaround,” said Smith. “One game to get ready.”
SETTING THE LINEUP
Smith has been heralded by some as the team's likely starting goaltender in part due to his heroics against the Blackhawks in the 2012 playoffs when his Phoenix Coyotes upset Chicago in six games.
"Seems like a 100 years ago now," he said.
But, if he is the netminder of choice, head coach Dave Tippett isn't showing his hand just yet.
"They'll both practice in the morning and get some good work and then we'll decide who's going to play tomorrow night," said Tippett.
Mikko Koskinen, who started 34 games this season and winning 18 of them, is the team's other option in goal.
Goaltending aside, Tippett says his team is largely healthy going into tomorrow's game with only forward Riley Sheahan not skating on Monday.
"We'll try to make it as regular as a game as we can with preparation and playing," said Tippett.
"Our focus is using tomorrow's game to get ready for Saturday's game."
With the opening series being a best-of-five, Tippett says things will happen in a hurry once Game 1 gets underway Saturday afternoon.
"Your margin for error is pretty slim," said Tippett. "But, we're in the same boat as other teams."
