Oilers At Blues Preview: McDavid, Draisaitl Scoring Threats To Watch

The Edmonton Oilers have the most goals scored in the Western Conference.

Sure, 2016. Get a little weirder.

The Oilers, who sit in third place in the Pacific Division, have been bolstered by the incredible sophomore season play of Connor McDavid. McDavid has 37 points, good for tops in the league. Second behind him? Vladimir Tarasenko, with 35. Tarasenko has three more goals than McDavid (15 to McDavid’s 12), but five fewer assists at 22.

The Blues are more than capable of scoring, as Saturday night’s four goals show. They’re also more than capable of forgetting how to play defense, as Saturday night’s six goals against show. Edmonton won’t choke on the Blues’ defensive lapses tonight with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl gunning for goals. Carter Hutton, starting in his first game in 16 days, may want to have eyes in the back of his head.

At the very least, the Blues’ defense might want to step it up a notch. They left Jake Allen out to dry on Saturday; imagine the outcome tonight with that defense in front of Hutton. The Blues’ especially need to clamp down in the third period; they’ve been outscored 9-0 in the third in their last four losses.

Here’re tonight’s projected lines:

Forwards

Jaden Schwartz - Paul Stastny - Nail Yakupov

Robby Fabbri - Jori Lehtera - Vladimir Tarasenko

Alexander Steen - Patrik Berglund - David Perron

Scottie Upshall - Kyle Brodziak - Ryan Reaves

Defense

Joel Edmundson - Alex Pietrangelo

Carl Gunnarsson - Kevin Shattenkirk

Jay Bouwmeester - Colton Parayko

Goalie

Carter Hutton

Nail Yakupov is getting some more top-six time tonight. He had a solid game against the Devils on Thursday night, scoring one goal, and managed to finish Saturday’s gongshow with a -1 rating.