{ "blocks": [ { "type": "video", "data": { "url": "https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/video-migration/0UmNFPCf.mp4", "streached": true, "controls": true, "caption": "The Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers enter the holidays as the odds-on favourites to win the Stanley Cup.", "image": { "url": "https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/video-migration/0UmNFPCf-poster.jpg" }, "cdn": { "service": "jwplayer", "playlistUrl": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/0UmNFPCf.m3u8", "sources": [ { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/0UmNFPCf.m3u8", "type": "application/vnd.apple.mpegurl" }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/0UmNFPCf-6BqRsIZU.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 180, "width": 320, "label": "180p", "bitrate": 190938, "filesize": 5298532, "framerate": 30 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/0UmNFPCf-9v74kdqA.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 270, "width": 480, "label": "270p", "bitrate": 253950, "filesize": 7047136, "framerate": 30 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/0UmNFPCf-6y7sVmmt.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 720, "width": 1280, "label": "720p", "bitrate": 713228, "filesize": 19792083, "framerate": 30 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/0UmNFPCf-49yBiHwd.m4a", "type": "audio/mp4", "label": "AAC Audio", "bitrate": 113700, "filesize": 3155186 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/0UmNFPCf-dkGfw3ol.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 1080, "width": 1920, "label": "1080p", "bitrate": 1461213, "filesize": 40548666, "framerate": 30 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/0UmNFPCf-ckztByCT.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 360, "width": 640, "label": "360p", "bitrate": 305506, "filesize": 8477809, "framerate": 30 }, { "file": "https://cdn.jwplayer.com/videos/0UmNFPCf-p1MW43gx.mp4", "type": "video/mp4", "height": 540, "width": 960, "label": "540p", "bitrate": 486173, "filesize": 13491303, "framerate": 30 } ] } } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "The period between Christmas and the New Year is kind of weird for everyone." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Maybe you've got a bunch of time off you don't know what to do with. Maybe you're visiting family away from home, or maybe you've got a lot of family still filling up your house. Your diet is probably in shambles. You've lost all sense of time, you have no idea what day it is." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Maybe you head down to California and lose back-to-back afternoon hockey games against division rivals. It's a weird time for everyone." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "The Oilers entered the holiday break as the hottest team in the NHL. That momentum disappeared over Christmas, though, as the Oilers are coming off an embarrassing weekend that saw them blow leads in consecutive losses to Los Angeles and Anaheim. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExaHT78R-K8[/embed]" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Now back in Edmonton for New Year's Eve, the Oilers will look to right the ship against the Utah Hockey Club, who are mired in a post-Christmas slump of their own." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Utah's first season in the NHL has been defined by inconsistency. They sit fifth in the Central Division at 16-14-6, four points out of the final wild card spot. They finally rattled off their first four-game win streak of the season in mid-December, only to negate it with a four-game losing streak they're still trying to snap." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "The low point of that losing streak came yesterday when they fell 5-2 to the similarly mediocre Seattle Kraken. That was the first game of a four-game road trip that will take them through Edmonton, Calgary, and Dallas, a tough stretch that could have a huge impact on their playoff chances." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwlCu0ihIQ4[/embed]" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Utah will also be trying to exorcise the demons from their last matchup with the Oilers back on November 29th. That game saw them blow an early 2-0 lead and eventually lose in overtime on a goal from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. " } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "The Oilers can count themselves lucky tonight, as they'll almost certainly dodge Utah netminder Karel Vejmelka on the second night of a back-to-back. Vejmelka has been one of the best goalies in the NHL this season, ranking third in the league in goals saved above expected since taking over from an injured and ineffective Connor Ingram." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfgSCtpS9hM[/embed]" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "In his place will be 25-year-old rookie Jaxson Stauber. He's barely had to play since being called up from AHL Tuscon, but he's been excellent in his three starts: he's 2-0-1 with a .928 save percentage as Vejmelka's backup." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Edmonton's task is simple: play better than they did against Los Angeles and Anaheim. Facing a team on a losing streak playing their second game in two days, they should be able to come away with a win. That's easier said than done, though." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Tonight's game gets underway at 7:00 PM, at Rogers Place." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss news, interviews, or any other updates on the Oilers." } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Related: Struggling Oilers' Forward Continues Disappointing Season" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Related: Oilers Should Claim Recently Waived Forward" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Related: Oilers Could Solve Big Problem With Free Agent" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Related: Ken Holland's Worst Oilers Trade No One Talks About" } }, { "type": "paragraph", "data": { "text": "Related: Ex-Oilers Coach Gets Surprising New Opportunity" } } ] }

Oilers Need Big Rebound Against Struggling Visitors