Vancouver Canucks Gameday Preview #19: A Strong Effort Is Needed To Shut Down Connor McDavid And The Oilers

The Vancouver Canucks (3-14-1) will look to end their four-game losing streak on Saturday as they battle the Edmonton Oilers (11-3-3). The Oilers lead the league in goals with 71, while the Canucks have allowed the most goals against this season with 83. These Pacific Division rivals have already met twice this year, with each team picking up a win. 

One of the major focuses of this game for Vancouver will revolve around effort and compete. The Canucks were called out by Head Coach Manny Malhotra on Thursday as the team put forth one of the more disappointing performances of the campaign. With the firepower Edmonton possesses, Vancouver could be in for a massive blowout if they replicate their Thursday effort level. 

Saturday will also be a big test for the penalty kill as the Oilers rank near the top of the NHL with a 33.9% power play. The Canucks' penalty kill has struggled this season and currently ranks 31st in the league at 63.3%. Vancouver will need to stay disciplined, as giving Edmonton too many man advantages could result in yet another loss. 

Linus Karlsson:

Linus Karlsson has struggled to find the back of the net recently. The 26-year-old has four goals on the year, but only one has come over the last seven games. With depth scoring being an issue for the Canucks this year, Karlsson will need to stabilize his game in order to help snap the losing streak. 

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins:

After recovering from an injury, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is back to his old scoring ways. The pride of Burnaby, BC, has 11 points in eight games and is coming off two straight multi-point efforts. Nugent-Hopkins also recently became the Oilers' all-time games-played leader, as he has suited up for Edmonton in 1,039 regular-season games. 

Vancouver Canucks (3–14–1): 

Points: 

Elias Pettersson: 4–14–18

Brock Boeser: 6–9–15

Jonathan Lekkerimäki: 6–8–14

Filip Hronek: 1–11–12

Jake DeBrusk: 5-5-10

Goaltenders: 

Leevi Meriläinen: 2–6–1

Kevin Lankinen: 1–8–0

Edmonton Oilers (11-3-3)

Points: 

Connor McDavid: 10-34-44

Leon Draisaitl: 14-17-31

Evan Bouchard: 10-20-30

Vasily Podkolzin: 9-5-14

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: 4-7-11

Goaltenders: 

Devon Levi: 6-1-0

Tristan Jarry: 4-1-3

Matt Tomkins: 1-1-0

Game Information: 

Start time: 8:00 pm PCT

Venue: Rogers Place

Television: Sportsnet

Radio: KiSS West Coast 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

Canucks’ Brock Boeser Is Closing In On Three Major Milestones

OHL Trade Unites Canucks Prospects Medvedev And Novotný

Why Manny Malhotra’s Comments After The Canucks’ Loss To The Jets Are Concerning 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.