Preview: Oilers at Blues

[December 19, 2016]  The NHL’s top two scorers will be on display when Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers visit Vladimir Tarasenko and the St. Louis Blues on Monday night. McDavid has only one of his league-leading 39 points in the last four games, but recorded the deciding shootout tally in a 3-2 win over Tampa Bay while Tarasenko (37) was being blanked in a 6-4 loss to Chicago at home on Saturday.

Tarasenko cooled off after posting 10 points in his previous five contests for the Blues, who are having their problems keeping the puck out of the net the last four games (17 against) with a 1-3-0 mark. “If we want to play with the top dogs, we’re going to have to play at a higher level,” St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock told reporters after Saturday’s setback. The Oilers continue to add points in any way possible, gaining at least one in seven of nine games (4-2-3) this month, and used some extra rest and a red-hot power play to win Saturday. “We obviously felt like we had some push left in us,” Edmonton forward Jordan Eberle told reporters. “We had a lot of energy with a couple days off and got a big goal on the power play. You have to win those games. … We found a way to do it.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Edmonton), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

ABOUT THE OILERS (16-12-5): While McDavid has cooled off a bit, fellow forward Leon Draisaitl continues to pile up points this month with seven goals and four assists in nine December contests. Draisaitl boasts 13 of his 28 points on a power play that has been lethal in December while converting 12 of its 33 opportunities - moving the Oilers to sixth in the league overall through Saturday at 22.2 percent. Milan Lucic notched his ninth goal of the season Saturday to move into a tie with Eberle, who has been kept off the scoresheet three straight games, for third on the team with 23 points.

ABOUT THE BLUES (17-11-4): St. Louis has been known as one of the league’s most stingy teams the last few seasons, but is struggling of late as goalie Jake Allen owns an .892 save percentage in December. Backup Carter Hutton is expected to start in net Monday for the Blues, who have killed 21-of-22 power plays in the last eight games and play seven of the next nine at home where they are 13-2-3. Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is second on the team with 22 points – 13 on the power play – while forward Patrik Berglund scored three of his four goals on the season in the last two games.

OVERTIME

1. Kris Russell is slated to play his 600th NHL game after fellow Edmonton D Andrej Sekera accomplished the feat on Saturday.

2. St. Louis F Alexander Steen needs two points to reach 500 in his career and is two assists shy of 300.

3. The Oilers have won the last two meetings, including a 3-1 victory at home on Oct. 20.

PREDICTION: Oilers 4, Blues 3

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