NHL Preview Roundup (Part VI)
Continued from part V...
Colorado at Edmonton (9:30 p.m. ET)
Either it is a home or a road game, victories are hard to come for Edmonton Oilers, which is going to host Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday at Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
After 49 games, Edmonton has 41 points and is ranked at 14th spot in the National Hockey League (NHL) Western Conference.
Edmonton had a five-game and a three-game losing streak during the 12 games it played this month.
It lost its last game against Vancouver Canucks (3-2) ain shootout.
Edmonton was always the second to score in that game.
Canucks scored the first goal early in the first period and a go-ahead goal in the final. Edmonton equalised both the times and sent the game into overtime.
The extra period was also the same. Canucks scored first and Edmonton was next. However, the next time Canucks scored, Edmonton failed to respond.
Oilers’ coach, Tom Renney, was a bit satisfied after his team’s performance. He thinks that the team is doing well to recover.
He remarked:
"We're trying to right ourselves, obviously. We came up short but maybe we're getting a little closer to being a good hockey club again."
The coach might be pleased after Tuesday’s game as his team can defeat the visiting Colorado Avalanche, which has lost its last two games.
It lost its last game (3-2) against Minnesota Wild after giving away an early lead.
After playing 51 games, Colorado is ranked at ninth spot in the Western Conference.
Chicago at Vancouver (10. 00 p.m. ET)
Chicago Blackhawks have an opportunity to replace Vancouver Canucks in the National Hockey League (NHL) Western Conference ranking table after defeating them on Tuesday at Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Both the teams have 64 points each, but Vancouver is ranked second as it has played 49 games, while Chicago is placed at sixth spot after playing 50 games.
If Chicago beat Vancouver, the former will take over the second position.
However, it will not be as easy as it sounds.
Canucks’ two-game winning streak against Blackhawks’ two-game losing streak says it all about the recent form of these teams.
Canucks defeated San Jose Sharks (4-3) and Edmonton Oilers (3-2 in shootout) before the All-Star break.
On the other hand, Blackhawks played a home and a road game against Nashville Predators before the break and were beaten both the times.
The home-ice loss (3-1), however, was less tormenting (5-2).
The Blackhawks were two goals behind by the end of second period. They scored in the final period and could have got an equaliser, but instead gave away another goal to lose the game.
Blackhawks’ goalie, Corey Crawford said after the game that:
"They're a team that's on a roll, too. They've got a ton of confidence, and a ton of momentum right now, something that we maybe could have broken if we had tied it up at the end there. Tough loss. You look at the other teams in our division, it seems like
everyone's rolling right now, we're kind of up and down."
To be continued...
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