Yamamoto back as Oilers' dynamic duo tries to extend hot streak against Capitals

After a breakout season where he scored 20 times and added 21 assists, 2022-23 has not been Kailer Yamamoto's year so far.

He's missed 12 games with an injury and hasn't scored in the 13 games he was able to play in.

"It's been a tough first start to the year. It's tough, but at the end of the day you just gotta keep moving forward, keep looking to when you're gonna get back," he told reporters Monday.

That day has likely come for Yamamoto. He's expected to play Monday against the Washington Capitals at Rogers Place. He hasn't been in an NHL game since Nov. 8 in Tampa Bay.

"I'm fired up and it should be a good one tonight," he said.

The team said the 24-year-old right winger suffered an "undisclosed injury" in preseason. He returned for the second game of the season and played 12 more, before being placed on injured reserve Nov. 10, again with "undisclosed injury."

Yamamoto said he was given some extra days to heal this time around, although he's been anxious to get back while watching from the press box.

"(NHL hockey) seems so slow up top when you're watching it. You always see every play and you're like, 'Oh my goodness, how am I not making these plays?' But once you step on the ice and you actually get into the game it's 10 times as fast," he said.

MCDAVID, DRAISAITL RED HOT

The Oilers held only an optional skate Monday morning, so it wasn't clear who Yamamoto would play with.

Edmonton has won four of its last five games, thanks in large part to the Oilers top scorers.

Connor McDavid was named the NHL's 1st star of the week Monday after recording five goals and six assists in his last four games. Leon Draisaitl had 10 points in those four games.

They'll look to continue that momentum against a Capitals team that has fallen out of a playoff spot, and with starting goalie Darcy Kuemper injured, is expected to start backup Charlie Lindgren.

"They've been a real good team for a long time. They got lots of great players on that side, and when they're playing well it's a difficult night. We gotta be ready," McDavid said.

The game could become a power-play battle, with three of the best shooters in the league on the ice.

McDavid (10), Draisaitl (9) and Capital's sniper Alex Ovechkin (6) were all in the top 11 in NHL powerplay goals Monday.

"He's one of the legends that's still playing, I guess, and it's always exciting trying to limit him to a couple shots a night, maybe," Draisaitl said of Washington's captain.

"Ovechkin is really smart in the way he positions himself to release the puck. That's something that I've kinda picked up out of his game."

'WE'RE SCRATCHING AND CLAWING'

Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said, all factors considered, he's happy with how the Oilers have been playing.

Edmonton is still missing injured players Evander Kane, Ryan McLeod and Warren Foegele.

The team has also done a lot of flying recently, travelling from New York City to Edmonton to Chicago to St. Paul and then back to Edmonton for five games in eight days.

"The team has found a way under tough travel, tough schedule, tough injuries to win four of our last five and so I think that's a credit to the people that we have in our room that are in the lineup that are finding ways. And we have to continue to do that," Woodcroft said Monday.

Depth scoring is still an issue for the Oilers, as eight forwards expected to dress against the Capitals have a combined six goals all year.

Yamamoto, Devin Shore and Brad Malone have not yet scored.

Mattias Janmark, Jesse Puljujarvi, Dylan Holloway and Klim Kostin each have one goal this year.

Derek Ryan has the fifth most goals of the forwards expected to play, with two.

Still, Woodcroft gave credit to some of those players Monday for helping the team in other ways.

"We're scratching and clawing to find ways to win and when you see Jesse Puljujarvi, in the third period block a shot off the faceoff, that's a positive sign. When you see Devin Shore above his check working back to our end, that's a real positive sign. When you see Derek Ryan go out and make a play on the wall in the last two minutes of a game, that's a positive sign," he said.

"There are ways that people can find ice time and ways that they can help contribute to team winds. Not all of it comes down to goals for, assists, that type of stuff."

The Oilers (14-11) face off against the Capitals (10-12-4) shortly after 6:30 p.m. MT.