Pre-Game Buzz:
Oilers (31-19-8, 70 pts) @ Penguins (27-20-9, 63 pts)

  • Biggest Gap since mid 1980’s: Connor McDavid enters tonight with a league-leading 44 goals and 105 points as a 150-point season remains a possibility which would the greatest individual season since Mario Lemieux in 1995-1996 led the league with 161 points. McDavid leads the NHL’s No. 2 scorer teammate Leon Draisitl by 20 points and No NHL players has even topped 130 points since Lemieux in 95-96. What makes McDavid so special as an offensive force is there hasn’t been a gap this big from the best player in the game to next player or crop since the mid-1980’s.
  • The Penguins handing two games to the Islanders in a matter of three games now sees Pittsburgh entering the day four points behind the Islanders in the Wild Card race. For now, the math is still okay for Pittsburgh as they have five games in hand on the Islanders and multiple games on others……
  • Defenseman Jeff Petry is expected to play after missing Wednesday’s practice due to an illness.