Head Coach Kris Knoblauch is naming an unchanged lineup from Tuesday’s 6-3 victory over the Utah Mammoth, which featured a five-goal second period from the Oilers and six different players recording multi-point nights in a come-from-behind effort.
Going with 11 forwards enables Coach Knoblauch to double shift either Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the fourth line, giving his Dynamic Duo more ice time while also giving more opportunities to the rest of the forwards. With one fewer forward, each player has a role and can get more involved.
“I think we’ve got enough forwards that can double shift and get a little more ice time,” Knoblauch said. “I think we’ve got enough specialty players for penalty kill and power play that we don’t need that extra forward. We did it the other day, and we’re doing it today. I’m not sure we’re going to do it Saturday. But something that I’ve found is that it’s much easier actually with 11 forwards than it is 12 with the players that we have right now, so we’ll try it for a while.”
“It was something I was thinking about in the summertime that would work better for the flow and getting everyone involved, because with you Leon and Connor taking up as much ice time as they do on separate lines, the third and fourth line get iced out. Maybe it’s only one or whatever it is, but I feel that it’s just easier managing the bench with the forwards.”
Defensively, it’s a different story with one extra blueliner to shuffle through the combinations, so it’s a tougher task for Assistant Coach Mark Stuart and his defencemen to try and keep the chemistry going tonight for the entire group.
“On the flip side, it’s more difficult for the defencemen,” Knoblauch said. “Not having a regular partner and having that seventh guy and trying to work him in makes it a little more difficult on the back end, for sure.”