PRE-GAME REPORT: Oilers vs. Red Wings

The Edmonton Oilers play the middle game of a five-game homestand on Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings at Rogers Place.
You can watch the game on Sportsnet West or listen live on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED.
Video: OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game vs DET 03.15.22

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS
GAME DAY VIDEO
OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game vs. DET
PRE-GAME RAW | Coach Woodcroft
PRE-GAME RAW | Yamamoto
PRE-GAME RAW | Broberg
RECENT VIDEOS
PRACTICE | Monday Moil
Spectacular NWT Play of the Week
RAW | Mikko Koskinen 03.14.22
RAW | Evan Bouchard 03.14.22
BY THE NUMBERS
Oilers Statistics
Red Wings Statistics
Stats Comparison
Game Notes
RECENT BLOGS & ARTICLES
BLOG: Koskinen's simple approach
BLOG: Monday's practice updates
GENE'S BLOG: Easy as Pi Day
VIEWING INFORMATION
You can watch Tuesday's game on Sportsnet West at 7:00 PM MT.
News and notes from Oilers practice at Rogers Place on Monday, including a look at Mikko Koskinen's simple approach in net and his singular focus on helping the Oilers achieve playoff success.
**>> READ MORE IN THE INSIDE THE OILERS BLOG**
EDMONTON, AB - Keep building and keep your composure.
The Edmonton Oilers are coming off a statement 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night where the Oilers put in one of their best performances of the season against the two-time Stanley Cup champions.
Tuesday's date with the Detroit Red Wings at Rogers Place awards Edmonton the opportunity to keep building confidence from Saturday night's victory and win their third straight game while further entrenching themselves in the Pacific Division playoff picture against a young Detroit team that's 2-7-1 in their last 10 games.
"I think honestly it gives us a lot of confidence," forward Kailer Yamamoto said of the victory over the Lightning. "They're back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, and to be able to beat a team like that and be able to play with them, I think it gives our team a lot of confidence."
In the 15 games since the arrival of Head Coach Jay Woodcroft and Assistant Coach Dave Manson in early February, the Oilers are 9-5-1 and have kept the picture small as they work in implement little but impactful changes to their game to "whack away at the lead domino" in the words of Woodcroft himself.
A steady dose of practice time during this extended five-game homestand has allowed Woodcroft and his players to expand their reach when it comes to implementing new ideas.
"I think the team's responded well," Woodcroft said. "We're trying to be strategic in what we're bringing to the group in terms of what we want to work on, or themes that we think are important. We want to be really focused on where we're putting our emphasis, and just having a few more practice days over the last seven to 10 days has allowed us to move in some different directions as well."
Overall, Yamamoto has observed a sharp change in the team's energy levels and performance since Woodcroft took over behind the Oilers bench.
Video: RAW | Kailer Yamamoto 03.15.22
"I think so. I think we're just more upbeat right now going into games," Yamamoto said. "I think we're just more dialed in. I think we know more about the team, what's going on and stuff like that, so I think that's the main thing that I've noticed."
Edmonton has three games this week against the Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils to end off their five-game homestand. But despite all three teams being out of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, the Oilers are not taking any NHL opposition lightly.
"Every team in this league can take one from you easily every night," Yamamoto said. "Like Jay said, we're looking at one game at a time. If I remember correctly, the last time we played them in Detroit, they gave us a little shellacking, so we're not looking past them. We have to put our best foot forward tonight."
The young talent in Detroit has been a bright spot in a challenging season for the Red Wings.
Coach Woodcroft got a good glimpse of Calder Trophy favourite Moritz Seider's diverse skillset and ability to drive play from the blueline when the German rookie played against the Bakersfield Condors last season with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Young Oilers defenceman Philip Broberg, who overlapped with Red Wings 2020 first-round pick Lucas Raymond over five seasons in Sweden's National Team Program, is not surprised his countryman has had a stellar rookie season with 45 points in his first 59 NHL games.
"No, not really surprised]," Broberg said. "He's a really smart player out there, really skilled, and has a good shot. He's been really good ever since he was younger, and you always saw that he's going to be a good player one day. He's having a good year and it'll be fun to play against him today."
**FLIP-FLOPPING PHILIP**
The journey of Broberg to the NHL began with plenty of up and down between Bakersfield and Edmonton, but the 20-year-old has been taking the transition with grace as he continues to try and build on his game in his first full season in North America.
"For sure it's different," he said. "You always want to be up here playing in the National Hockey League, but when you get down there, you've just got to prove yourself to get back up here again."
Broberg's teammates have observed how well the Swedish blueliner has dealt with the transition and regular flip-flopping between the AHL and NHL.
"I think he's handled it very well," Yamamoto said. "It's definitely a different transition going from one team, and then next thing you know, you're going back and forth through another team. It can be hard at times, but I think he's doing the transition very well and hopefully, he can keep it going."
Broberg is hoping to continue growing his game after showing positively in his last three games using his blend of speed, size and more of his offensive abilities.
[Video: RAW | Philip Broberg 03.15.22
"I'm just trying to get better every day, and I've taken a few steps here lately," he said. "I just want to play my game and play confident out there.
"That's always been one of my assets I have - to skate the puck, pass it, then follow up. I think I've been able to do that more lately, so I wish to continue that for sure."
There have been ups and downs for Broberg in both travel and growth as a defenceman with only 22 games of NHL experience, and Woodcroft has seen the Swede grow into his NHL game on a day-to-day basis through experiences between the AHL and NHL.
"I've called Phil an experiential learner," Woodcroft said. "He's come a long way from that first rookie game against Calgary here in this building in September. That process began in the American Hockey League for him. He had earned his first recall in November and has been up and down from Bakersfield since.
"I just think he feels a lot more comfortable at this level. He's learning what his capabilities are at this level, and he's learning how good the league is and how it demands you to be at your best on a day in, day out basis."
LINEUP NOTES
Woodcroft will deploy the same lineup that defeated the Lightning on Saturday night, with Mikko Koskinen set to be between the pipes for his fourth straight start.
Saturday saw Zack Kassian, Josh Archibald and Brad Malone deployed on the same line for the first time, and Woodcroft enjoyed the compete level he saw from each of them and how their unique qualities meshed together to form a solid line.
"They bring a form of physicality in different ways," he said. "I think of Zack Kassian as a straight-forward, straight-line forechecking and punishing player when he can get on top of defencemen and finish his check. I think Brad Malone is physical in the face-off circle, willing to go to the blue paint also finishes his check, and I think Archibald brings a speed element, underrated speed, for not being a huge man. He's very physical for his size."
"When those guys can establish a forecheck and roll around on a cycle and create, I think it gives our team energy."
Video: RAW | Jay Woodcroft 03.15.22
Forward Jesse Puljujarvi will not play tonight but did participate in this morning's pre-game skate as he continues to wage his comeback from a lower-body injury.
"It's a coordination between the team doctor, the team trainer, the player, and the coaching and management staff," Woodcroft said. "But I think he's progressing. He felt pretty good heading into this morning's skate, so we'll see where he's at. We'll take it one day at a time with him."
Much like Puljujarvi, defenceman Kris Russell is being evaluated on a day-to-day basis after rejoining the group this week for practice.
Woodcroft is hopeful that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can begin skating with the group in full next week.
"Fingers crossed for him," he said. "He's made some good steps, he's healing, and he is skating. He just hasn't joined the main group yet."
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com
OILERS vs. RED WINGS
STREAM: 7:00 p.m. MT; televised on Sportsnet West
Oilers Team Scope
The Oilers look to earn their third straight win on Wednesday night in the middle game of a five-game homestand after downing the two-time Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 at Rogers Place on Saturday.
"I think the way we played, it gives us a lot of confidence," netminder Mikko Koskinen said. "We played a really good game, I think one of the best so far in the year, and that gives everyone a confidence boost. We have to make sure that we use that in the next couple of games."
Over their next three games this week, the Oilers will host the Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils as they try to further establish their foothold in the Pacific Division's top three spots.
Mikko Koskinen made 31 saves for his fourth straight win on home ice against Tampa Bay and will be back in between the pipes on Tuesday to make his fourth start in a row. The Finnish netminder is playing some of his best hockey with the Oilers with a 9-1-2 record in his last 13 appearances, but Koskinen attributed a lot of the success to a team focus on defending since Woodcroft's arrival behind the bench.
"For me, it feels like we're playing tighter," he said. "We're taking time and space away, which makes the reads easier for me when there's no time and space. You kind of knew where the puck was going to go next, and that's been a big part of our game over the last couple of weeks."
On the injury front, Jesse Puljujarvi practiced in full at Monday's practice but continues to be evaluated on a day-to-day basis with a lower-body injury.
Red Wings Team Scope
The Red Wings were outshot by the Calgary Flames 19-1 through 20 minutes and 31-5 after two periods in a 3-0 shutout loss on Saturday night at Scotiabank Saddledome.
"We didn't like the way we were playing, didn't like the way it was going, but we're still down by one goal and there's an opportunity to get some life and get back in the game," Red Wings forward Sam Gagner said. "We wanted to have some positive energy and come out in the third and try to create some looks, and we did that for a little bit of time."
The Flames high-powered offence was too much for the Red Wings, who fell to 1-6-1 in their last eight games while being nearly doubled up in goals over that span (44-23).
"You never get these games back," Head Coach Jeff Blashill said. "I don't care what our last little bit has been. You can't not play your A-game on a nightly basis, and if you don't have an A, have a B. Is there a mental grind to it? For sure there is. Is there a mental wear on you when you've gone through a tough stretch and you're looking up in the standings? For sure there is. Is that an excuse? No chance. We've got to be way more mentally tough than that."
Red Wings defenceman Marc Staal played his 1,000th game in the loss and became part of the first trio of brothers in NHL History with Eric (1,293) and Jordan (1,070) to achieve the feat.
By The Numbers
The Red Wings are allowing 3.71 goals against/game this season, the second-most in the NHL... The Red Wings have an NHL-high 98 points from rookies this season (28G, 70A)... Defenceman Moritz Seider is fourth in rookie scoring with five goals and 36 assists in 59 games... Teammate Lucas Raymond's 45 points (18G, 27A) through 59 games ranks second in the NHL...
The Oilers are 11-4-4 in one-goal games this season... The Oilers are the only team that is undefeated when scoring first this season (18-0-0) and the only team undefeated when leading after the first period (17-0-0)... Edmonton is 9-5-1 in 15 games under Jay Woodcroft... Connor McDavid has NHL-high 30 multi-point games this season and has 30 points (13G, 17A) in his last 23 games... Leon Draisaitl has 38 points (16G, 22A) in 28 home games this season... Mikko Koskinen is 4-0-0 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in his last five games played at Rogers Place...
Injury Report
OILERS - Kyle Turris (undisclosed) is on IR; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (upper body) is on IR; Jesse Puljujarvi (lower body) is on IR; Kris Russell (undisclosed) is on IR.
RED WINGS - Tyler Bertuzzi (COVID-19 Protocol) is on IR; Robby Fabbri (knee) is on IR; Danny DeKeyser (undisclosed) is on IR; Carter Rowney (lower body) is on IR; Mitchell Stephens (lower body) is on IR.
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com