Connor McDavid won’t play tonight.

Canucks/Oilers meet for the first time in more than five months—I’ll be on 630CHED & RadioplayerWorldwide (tune in & sync!) w/Bob Stauffer for 8:10 MT puck drop.

VAN needs a point to control Pacific Division race; EDM requires a win in regulation.

Result against Arizona changes nothing. Oilers remain in control of their own destiny as far as the division title—provided they win in regulation Saturday.

Edmonton also officially wraps up home ice in the first round of the playoffs with the point tonight.

McDavid on ice; questionable for tonight. I wouldn’t expect him to play; Ceci out, Stecher in, Pickard starts.

Oilers look for eighth straight victory over Arizona having won previous seven by 39-17.

Louie DeBrusk & Gene Principe will be alongside tonight at 7 on Sportsnet.

Leon Draisaitl may be having the quietest 41-63-104 season in recent memory.

Meanwhile, the Oilers haven’t permitted a five-on-five goal in the last 164 minutes.

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No McDavid.

RNH-Draisaitl-Hyman
Kane-Henrique-Foegele
Holloway-McLeod-Perry
Janmark-Carrick-Brown

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Ceci
Kulak-Desharnais

Skinner

McDavid labeled “questionable” for tonight—I don’t think he’ll play—Vegas missing Pietrangelo, Stephenson, Stone, Roy, Carrier.

Skinner vs Hill (4-8, .881 last two months) in net.

Louie DeBrusk & Gene Principe join for Scotiabank Wed. night hockey at 6:42 MT on Sportsnet …

Has 10 goals in 18 AHL games this season, including a hat trick and an assist Saturday in a win over Calgary.

Oilers arrive at practice today in full control of their destiny within the Pacific—if EDM wins its final six games, including Vancouver in regulation, the team will claim its first division title since 1987.

Not a bad outlook for a 30th place team at U.S. Thanksgiving.

Oilers beat Markstrom for 8th consecutive time; now have six straight wins in CGY.

EDM within three points of VAN—game in hand plus a head-to-head at home, where the Oilers are 9-0-1 in their last 10.

McDavid 6th player in NHL history to put up 130 pts in back to back years.

I’ve felt like Kane-McLeod-Perry line had been on verge of a breakthrough. Friday, it came vs Colorado—this play typifies what Perry has brought to Oiler lineup from day one.

An aside: I’m with Bob Stauffer tonight at 8 pm on 630CHED & RadioplayerWorldwide … tune in & sync!

Oilers bounce back in a big way tonight with one of their most complete games all season to officially clinch their 5th straight playoff appearance .

The two defining moments for me were the Skinner save on Wood at 2-2 along with, of course, the big hit by Ekholm on Rantanen.

Lineup looks to be same as STL with Pickard starting. Pickard beat the Stars in Dallas Feb. 16.

Sets up Skinner for the start Friday at home vs Colorado, with Pickard returning in Calgary the following night.

EDM hoping for more moments like this tomorrow in Dallas at 7:50 MT on Sportsnet.

McDavid had more points in March than anyone since Mario in 1993, and sits one point behind in the scoring race.

Oilers/Stars have split their first two games this year & the last eight total.

Ugly, choppy game with three reviews that all went in favour of St. Louis. And yet, the Oilers still salvage a point for the 15th time in 18 games (12-3-3).

Ekholm heater continues: 4-9-13 in his last 8 games.

5 pts behind VAN with a game in hand plus a head-to-head at home.

The end comes in the provincial semis at the hands of La Crete. But what a year for the team (32-3-3). Watching my son in minor hockey for 13 years was so much fun.

It’s quite possible at some point today on Sportsnet (2:08 MT) five-time Art Ross winner Connor McDavid takes over the NHL scoring lead.

He averaged a point per game (6-10-16) in his 1st 16 GP before averaging exactly two PPG since (21-85-106) as the Oilers have gone 39-11-3.

Bank was open as Edmonton took the season series 3-1 from Los Angeles. Now the question remains—will the Kings get a third straight crack at the Oilers in the playoffs? Until then…