Edmonton Oilers vs Carolina Hurricanes Picks and Predictions October 22nd 2024

Oilers Look to Stabilize Turbulent Season Start Against Hurricanes

The Edmonton Oilers are still seeking reliability as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. After beginning the season with three straight defeats, the Oilers managed to secure two victories before succumbing to their latest game, a 4-1 setback against the Dallas Stars on Saturday. Now, they aim to bounce back at home against a tough Carolina squad.

Oilers Search for Offense Boost

Although they started strong against the Stars, the Oilers couldn’t maintain their flow, conceding a power-play goal late in the second period and quickly falling behind in the third. Leon Draisaitl netted Edmonton’s sole goal with just over two minutes left, marking his 350th NHL goal, but it was ultimately insufficient as Dallas capped the victory with an empty-netter shortly after.

“I thought we were excellent at the game’s start,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch remarked. “The first 20 minutes were definitely solid, our pace was good, we were checking effectively, but just couldn’t take advantage.”

One major challenge for Edmonton has been the power play, which has historically been a strength. The Oilers have now gone scoreless on their last 11 power-play chances and are only 1-for-15 this season.

“We’re at the stage where it’s worth considering some adjustments,” Knoblauch mentioned to the Edmonton Journal. “Every power play experiences a phase of not scoring, but we’ve gone six games now without a goal, and it’s something we’re thinking about.”

Additionally, Edmonton is facing individual scoring droughts from several key players. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has yet to find the back of the net in six games, while Zach Hyman, who notched 54 goals last season, is still seeking his first point.

Hurricanes Continue Their Journey

The Carolina Hurricanes are currently on a six-game road swing and have evenly split their first two matches, most recently enduring a 4-3 defeat against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, despite dominating much of the action. The Hurricanes outshot the Blues 40-19 but failed to capitalize on sufficient opportunities, even after overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the third period.

“It’s a tough loss. We probably deserved more since we played quite well,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour stated. “We executed many good plays, a few just didn’t fall our way, and we failed to score.”

Despite the defeat, Carolina saw some positives. Andrei Svechnikov recorded a goal and an assist, and Sebastian Aho contributed two assists. Shayne Gostisbehere maintained his strong season start with a goal in three consecutive games, and Jack Roslovic added his second goal within two nights.

The Hurricanes’ power play, in contrast to the Oilers’, has been fruitful, with Gostisbehere already matching his total of two power-play goals from last season in just four outings. “For us to take some positives from this, making plays and achieving results is beneficial too,” Gostisbehere added.

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Key Players to Monitor

• Leon Draisaitl (Oilers): Following his 350th NHL goal, Draisaitl remains a vital asset for Edmonton. He must be at his peak to aid the Oilers in achieving consistency.
• Connor McDavid (Oilers): McDavid extended his scoring streak to five games (one goal, five assists) and will aim to ignite the faltering Oilers’ attack.
• Shayne Gostisbehere (Hurricanes): With goals in three straight games and a significant role on the power play, Gostisbehere has emerged as a key weapon for Carolina early this season.
• Andrei Svechnikov (Hurricanes): Svechnikov’s goal and assist in the defeat to the Blues demonstrate his ability to generate offense at crucial junctures.

What to Anticipate

Both teams enter this clash intending to refine their play early in the season. The Oilers need to establish offensive reliability and spark their struggling power play, while the Hurricanes will aim to convert more opportunities and uphold their effective special teams play.

As Edmonton hosts Carolina, both squads recognize that a solid performance could lay the groundwork for early-season momentum.