PRE-GAME REPORT: Oilers vs. Canadiens

The Edmonton Oilers return to Rogers Place on Saturday night to host the Montreal Canadiens following a five-game road trip.
You can watch the game on Hockey Night in Canada & Sportsnet 360 or listen on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED.
Read the Preview then check back later in the afternoon for the Pre-Game Report.
Video: OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game vs MTL 03.05.22

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS
GAME DAY VIDEO
OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game vs. MTL
PRE-GAME RAW | Coach Woodcroft
PRE-GAME RAW | Hyman
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ASK AN OILER | Superlatives Pt. 2
OILERS TODAY | Post-Game at CHI

BY THE NUMBERS
Oilers Statistics
Canadiens Statistics
Stats Comparison
Game Notes
RECENT BLOGS & ARTICLES
RELEASE: Oilers recall Broberg

VIEWING INFORMATION
You can watch Saturday's game on Sportsnet One & Hockey Night in Canada at 5:00 PM MT.
News and notes from the Oilers organization, including defenceman Philip Broberg's recall from the Bakersfield Condors on Friday afternoon.
**>> READ MORE IN THE INSIDE THE OILERS BLOG**
EDMONTON, AB - It feels like it's been far too long.
The Edmonton Oilers return to Rogers Place for the first time in 11 days to host the Montreal Canadiens on Hockey Night in Canada after completing a challenging Eastern road trip with a 2-2-1 record that included 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks last time out on Thursday.
But Saturday night's home game brings with it the excitement of the first full-capacity contest at Rogers Place since the lifting of provincial restrictions on Mar. 1 and the lure of a Canadian rivalry with Montreal filling the visitor's dressing room and their fans set to occupy plenty of seats.
"First off, it's just going to be great being home in general playing in front of our fans," forward Zach Hyman said. "I think it'll be full capacity, which will be great, and we haven't had that in a while."
The Canadiens are riding the new coach wave brought on by the arrival of Martin St. Louis behind the bench, with the Red & White looking to win their seventh game in their last eight contests after stopping Calgary's 11-game home win streak in its tracks on Thursday with a 5-4 overtime win at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
"I think there's renewed life in that group," Oilers Head Coach Jay Woodcroft, whose side is 7-3-1 since his own arrival in Oil Country three weeks ago, said pre-game.
"A lot of the players that are on that team went to the Stanley Cup Final last year, so there are a lot of proud hockey players there. I think over the last little while they've scored 20 goals in the last few games, so they have the ability to score. I think our focus and attention is on what's most important now, which is to get two points out of tonight's game."
Video: PRE-RAW | Jay Woodcroft 03.05.22
Coming off a taxing and challenging extended road trip, the Oilers get right back to work playing nearly every other day until mid-April knowing they can't let fatigue creep in and let opportunities like Saturday get away from them in a tight Pacific Division race.
"I don't think anyone in our dressing room is unclear of how important points are as we work our way through the stretch run here," Woodcroft said. "I think our group is motivated, I think we're rested, and we expect us to come out not just dipping our toe in the water, but ready to come out full bore right off the bat.
The Oilers currently sit tied with the Nashville Predators for the second Wildcard spot in the Western Conference, but could jump back up into the Pacific's top three at the expense of the Vegas Golden Knights.
"If you look at the standings, that should be enough motivation," Hyman said. "I think we're in a battle. Our division is extremely tight."
HEAVY ON THE STICK
Hyman has heard this line of questioning before.
It was a theme during his days in Toronto, and it gets asked in Edmonton: "Does the group need to play heavier?"
To the 29-year-old left winger, playing heavy doesn't come just from employing bigger players; it's a play style that makes you hard to beat in battles with and without the puck.
"You don't necessarily need the biggest bodies," he said. "Being heavy is a mindset, and just being heavy on your stick and being hard to play against can be what defines being a heavy team and not necessarily weight and size. I think that we have the people in the locker room that can play that style."
Kailer Yamamoto, despite his smaller 5-foot-8 stature, is a consistent puck retriever and isn't afraid to get physical in the corners with a game that's been heralded by the league's leading scorer Leon Draisaitl in the past.
Evander Kane, with a solid blend of skill to go along with his size, has sett a good example for the group since his arrival when it comes to playing a heavier game and producing offence in the hard areas. The winger has 13 points, but has also thrown 49 hits in 16 games in an Oilers uniform.
Video: PRE-RAW | Zach Hyman 03.05.22
"I think the group talks about it. I think Evander plays that style," Hyman said. "He's a bigger guy, and not just a bigger guy who skates around, but a bigger guy that gets into the dirty areas and holds onto the puck and scores in the blue paint."
"I think that's something that we definitely talk about as a group and he talks about in general."
The further the season progresses, the more the Oilers hope to impose themselves on their opponents to make it difficult when defending.
"I think just by nature, if you play in the playoffs long enough, that's kind of the way things get and that's the way things are," Hyman said. "Every game you move in the season, it gets harder and harder to score goals off the rush. It's more of a grind game, a cycle game, so I think you need a combination of it all.
"Just look at Tampa Bay, they've got both and they won the Cup the last two years. So I think you strive to be a well-rounded team, and I think it's something that's really important."
LINEUP NOTES
Head Coach Jay Woodcroft updated the status of Tyson Barrie as "day-to-day" in his morning media avail and confirmed the defender won't play tonight after leaving Thursday's game in the second period with an upper-body injury.
Blueliner Philip Broberg was recalled from the Bakersfield Condors on Friday in a corresponding move.
Goaltender Mike Smith will start between the pipes for the Oilers tonight and is 5-7-1 with a 3.53 goals-against average and .893 save percentage in 14 starts this season.
Before the team's optional practice Saturday, Josh Archibald skated and is slated to join the group for a full practice on Sunday afternoon. The winger has missed the entirety of the 2021-22 season after being diagnosed with myocarditis in early October.
Lines for Saturday's matchup will be made apparent during warm-ups.
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com
OILERS vs. CANADIENS
STREAM: 5:00 p.m. MT; televised on Sportsnet 360 & Hockey Night in Canada
Oilers Team Scope
The Oilers concluded an extended five-game road trip with a 2-2-1 record following a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night that spoiled defenceman Duncan Keith's return to the United Center or the first time as a member of the Oilers after spending 16 seasons in the Windy City.
With Leon Draisaitl in the box for tripping in extra time, Patrick Kane set up Alex DeBrincat for a one-timer that beat Mikko Koskinen after the Oilers netminder was caught out by a fake shot by Kane before he sent a pass back across to DeBrincat to bury with 2:23 left in sudden death.
Evander Kane scored a pair of goals, including a final-minute equalizer with the net empty, that ultimately earned Edmonton a solitary point. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and assist to take sole possession of the NHL's goal-scoring race with his 38th tally of the season.
"It's funny, the two games we probably played the best, we didn't get any points out of those games," defenceman Darnell Nurse said. "There's a lot to build off from this road trip. A lot of good hockey was played, but we didn't get the amount of points and amount of wins that we wanted. We go home, reset for a day and get right back at it."
On Friday, the Oilers recalled defenceman Philip Broberg from the Bakersfield with the status of Tyson Barrie questionable after the blueliner departed Thursday's game with an upper-body injury.
Canadiens Team Scope
The Canadiens ended the Flames' bid for a franchise-record 12-game unbeaten streak Thursday by handing Edmonton's provincial rivals a 5-4 overtime defeat at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Elias Lindholm tied the game with 28 seconds remaining to earn Calgary a point, but it was defenceman Ben Chiarot notching his second of the game in overtime to end Calgary's home streak one shy of a club record.
"That's a big one, beating a team like that," Chiarot said. "They're at the top of the standings and you can see why. They don't give you any room out there. That's a big one for the confidence of the team, knowing we can play with anybody. That's a big one for the character of the team, I think."
Nick Suzuki also had a goal and two assists, and Mike Hoffman had a goal and three assists for the Canadiens who've now won six of seven contests. Newly-hired head coach Martin St. Louis, who was appointed on Feb. 9 to replace Dominique Ducharme, improved to 6-4 in his tenure as Montreal bench boss with the victory after the Habs went 8-30-7 in their previous 45 games this season.
By The Numbers
Edmonton is 10-4-2 vs. Montreal since the start of 2017-18 and has won three straight... The Oilers are the only team without a loss when scoring first this season (16-0-0)... The Oilers are 19-0-1 when scoring five-plus goals this season, and 21-1-1 when scoring four-plus goals... Connor McDavid is on pace for 118 points this season (43G, 75A) and has recorded 50-plus assists in six straight seasons... McDavid needs one goal for his sixth straight season with 30-plus goals... Zach Hyman's 19 goals this season are tied for second-most by a player on a new team... Darnell Nurse is averaging 26:15 time on ice this season, third-most in the NHL...
Andrew Hammond is 3-0-0 with a 2.40 goals-against average and .920 save percentage since being traded to Montreal by the Minnesota Wild on Feb. 12... Cole Caufield leads Montreal with 12 points (6G, 6A) in 10 games since coach St. Louis took over as Montreal head coach... The Canadiens have earned at least a point in six of their last eight road games, going 4-2-2 despite being outscored 33-25... The Canadiens have the worst Goal Differential in the NHL (-80)... Montreal's .857 points percentage (6-1-0) since Feb. 17 is the highest in the NHL...
Injury Report
OILERS - Tyson Barrie (upper body) is questionable; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (upper body) is on IR; Jesse Puljujarvi (lower body) is on IR; Zack Kassian (fractured jaw) is on IR; Kris Russell (undisclosed) is on IR.
CANADIENS - Paul Byron (upper body) is day-to-day; David Savard (ankle) is on IR; Christian Dvorak (concussion) is day-to-day; Jonathan Drouin (wrist) is on IR; Tyler Pitlick (undisclosed) is on IR; Jake Allen (lower body) is on IR; Carey Price (torn meniscus) is on IR; Shea Weber (foot) is on IR; Joel Edmundson (foot) is on IR.
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com