Edmonton Oilers look to give Montreal Canadiens third straight loss - NHL Preview
Two of the worst teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) take on each other on Thursday, March 8, 2012 with the Montreal Canadiens travelling to Edmonton Oilers.
The Canadiens are having a season to forget in 2011-12 as they lie bottom of the Eastern Conference and with their inability to stem the tide of losses they are not even favourites to win over a poor Edmonton Oilers.
Montreal has traditionally struggled against the Oilers and given their recent form that fact is not likely to change on Thursday.
The Habs are bottom of the Eastern Conference with just 60 points after struggling for the majority of the season with a roster that clearly is not good enough.
Edmonton on the other hand are not much better but their young team has shown signs of good times ahead.
The Oilers are currently 14th in the Western Conference with 58 points but will be confident of winning at home ice against the hapless Canadiens.
Canadiens (25-32-10, 60 pts)
Montreal are currently on a two-game skid after having just recently ending another five-game losing run.
The Canadiens have won just once out of their last eight games and are really struggling in both offence and defence.
Habs fans will be hoping that the team pulls itself together as they start a three game road trip starting with the Oilers.
The Canadiens tried to do just that putting in a fighting display in their last game against Calgary Flames. Down by two goals in the first period, Montreal made a comeback in the second to tie the game but once again collapsed early on in the final period
as Calgary scored three more to make it 5-2.
However, two late goals made things interesting but the Flames held on for a 5-4 win.
Goaltender Carey Price said after the game.
"We play hard in spurts and then we make mental errors that always cost us the game. That's just the way it's been going this year."
Oilers (26-34-6, 58 pts)
Edmonton ended a two-game skid this Tuesday, with a 3-2 shootout victory on the road to San Jose Sharks.
The Oilers young squad is putting up a fight and they did just that against San Jose. Ryan Smyth’s second period goal put Edmonton on terms.
Goaltender Devan Dubnyk made 28 saves during the game and kept out the Sharks consecutive attacks in the final period to send the game to overtime.
The Oilers then showed their mental strength with the shootout win to take all two points that put the Sharks in danger of dropping out of the playoff spots altogether.
They will look to do more of the same against Montreal.
Dubnyk was pleased with the win and said after the game.
"To have a good battle from start to finish and to get a win out of it is a great experience and very satisfying,"
Predictions
Tough to choose a winner but Edmonton will be favourites to send the Canadiens to their third straight loss.
Goals will be in short supply with both teams’ struggles in offence.
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