Rangers vs. Oilers: 3 things to watch for in final game of road trip
When the NHL schedule was released last summer, who would’ve predicted that when the New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers face-off in late November that each team would sit in fourth place in its respective division?
After all, we’re talking bout the 2023-24 Presidents’ Trophy winner and the Western Conference champion which lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last spring to the Florida Panthers.
Yet, that’s where we are heading into their meeting Saturday for a Hockey Night in Canada showdown at Rogers Place.
Things aren’t so dire for the Rangers (12-5-1). They own the fifth-best points percentage in the NHL and have played fewer games than each of the three teams ahead of them in the Metropolitan Division. But one quarter of the way into the 2024-25 season, the Metro is shaping up to be the best division in the NHL, so the Rangers have their work cut out for them.
On the other side, the Oilers (10-9-2) technically have lost more games (including overtime) than they’ve won this season. But mediocrity fits the Pacific Division. The Oilers are four points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights and five points ahead of the last-place San Jose Sharks.
This is the finale of a four-game road trip for New York, which is 2-1-0 following a 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday. The Rangers are 7-2-0 on the road this season, and the Oilers are a disappointing 4-6-1 at Rogers Place.
Edmonton is coming off a 5-3 home loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday and is 1-2-1 in its past four games. However, the Oilers have had success against the Rangers in recent years, posting a 7-2-1 record in their past 10 meetings.
Related: Rangers veteran tops off rookie goalie’s big night after loss to Flames
3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Oilers
1. Shuffle on the blue line; Chytil’s not ready yet
Rookie defenseman Victor Mancini was surprisingly recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Friday. The reason became apparent on Saturday, when the Rangers announced that Zac Jones is day to day with an upper-body injury. The callup gives the Rangers eight defensemen on the roster, including veteran Chad Ruhwedel, who’s been the extra d-man since Mancini was assigned to the minors more than a week ago.
It made no sense for Mancini to be recalled and fly all the way to Edmonton, arriving at his hotel at 3:30 a.m., for one game before flying right back to New York just to sit with another spare defenseman in the press box. Instead, he’ll take Jones’ spot in the lineup, with Ruhwedel scratched.
Center Filip Chytil’s return after a three-game injury-related absence won’t happen tonight. He skated with the extras after the morning skate, meaning that coach Peter Laviolette opted not to put Chytil back in the lineup without a full practice under his belt.
2. Jonathan Quick goes for three in a row
Laviolette opted to give Igor Shesterkin the night off after he faced 49 shots in the loss at Calgary on Thursday, meaning that Jonathan Quick will start for the second time on this trip. Quick is 4-0-0 this season with a 0.91 goals-against average and .970 save percentage. He shut out the Detroit Red Wings 4-0 on Nov. 9 and the Seattle Kraken 2-0 this past Sunday in his past two starts.
One reason for the decision could be that Quick has great career numbers against the Oilers (25-12-6, 2.18 GAA, .921 save percentage, four shutouts).
Quick and Shesterkin, who left the morning skate briefly after taking a shot by Reilly Smith in the shoulder/collarbone area, have combined for a .924 save percentage, best in the NHL, this season.
3. Wake up, the season started!
Someone may want to remind the Oilers that the season started and, in fact, is a quarter of the way completed. Because this team is sleepwalking through games now, especially offensively.
The Oilers are stuck in mediocrity in large part because they’re averaging 2.76 goals per game, 20th in the NHL. Yes, this the same Oilers that are driven by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who’ve largely done their part. But the secondary scoring is pitiful. Zach Hyman has three goals in 20 games after scoring 54 last season. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mattias Ekholm each has two goals in 21 games. Only four Oilers have at least 10 points. Their power play is 22nd in the League at 16.7 percent.
Coach Kris Knoblauch must find a way to turn the snooze button off and wake this team up.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Kreider – Zibanejad – Smith
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle – Brodzinski – Kakko
Edstrom – Carrick – Vesey
Miller – Fox
Lindgren – Trouba
Schneider – Mancini
Quick
Shesterkin
Rangers vs. Oilers: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Edmonton Oilers
When: Saturday, Nov. 23 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Rogers Place
How to Watch: MSG
Click here for New York Rangers complete 2024-25 schedule and game results
More About:New York Rangers News
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