Western Conference front-runners meet when Oilers host Wild
Two of the top teams in the Western Conference will face off when the Minnesota Wild visit the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.
Minnesota is riding a six-game winning streak and has registered at least one point in seven consecutive games. The Wild have not lost in regulation since Nov. 20 against the Florida Panthers.
The red-hot stretch has helped the Wild tally 35 points in their first 24 games.
"You're going to have to battle and win some games (in) different ways," Wild defenseman Matt Dumba said after his team's most recent victory, a 4-3 shootout win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. "You can't just blow teams out all the time and just get easy wins.
"You've got to battle, you've got to have comebacks, a little adversity, and how our team has faced that all season has been awesome. Very proud of it."
Now comes another tough challenge against Edmonton to kick off a four-game road trip for Minnesota.
The Oilers are coming off back-to-back losses against the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings, but they remain near the top of the conference standings with 32 points in their first 23 games. Edmonton boasts a 9-2-0 record on home ice.
Despite the team's positive big-picture results, Oilers head coach Dave Tippett challenged his players after their 5-1 defeat to the Kings, which marked Edmonton's most lopsided loss of the season.
"There are parts of our games that aren't good enough right now," Tippett said. "There's some puck battle stuff, some wall battle stuff, some execution with the puck, things that allow you to play a lot harder and a lot faster, and we're not doing enough of that right now. Our puck play is slow. Too many battles, we end up chasing pucks, and that's been going on for a long time now."
Leon Draisaitl leads Edmonton with 43 points (21 goals, 22 assists) and a plus-15 rating in 23 games. Connor McDavid is right behind Draisaitl with 42 points (16 goals, 26 assists) and a plus-9 rating.
Zach Hyman is the Oilers' third player with double-digit goals. He has lit the lamp 11 times.
As for the Wild, Kirill Kaprizov sits atop the scoring list with 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 24 games. Ryan Hartman is next with 21 points, including a team-high 13 goals, and Mats Zuccarello rounds out the top three with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists).
Cam Talbot has started 18 of Minnesota's first 24 games. He is 13-5-0 with a 2.71 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
Edmonton's primary goaltender has been Mikko Koskinen. He is 12-3-0 with a 2.97 GAA and .911 save percentage in 15 games (14 starts).
This is the first of three regular-season meetings between the Wild and Oilers. They will face off again in Edmonton on Jan. 12, and they will meet in Minnesota on April 12.
Wild forward Jordan Greenway is hoping that he and his teammates can carry their confidence from Saturday's win over the Maple Leafs with them to Edmonton.
"I think we're definitely showing everyone and ourselves that we can play with anyone," he said.
--Field Level Media
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Whooping cough outbreak declared in Newfoundland
Health officials say there is an outbreak of whooping cough in eastern Newfoundland.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
NEW How Canadians can watch the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest
Europe’s top pop stars are out and about for the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, taking place in Malmo, Sweden.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.