NHL Grind Down: Tuesday, October 18th - Page Three

by Tom Woollam (elctrceye) Last Updated 2016-10-18 19:33:47

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Carolina Hurricanes at Edmonton Oilers

Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
Carolina Hurricanes					Edmonton Oilers
			Cam Ward					Cam Talbot
			Record					Record
			35-31-16					31-43-8
Team Stats	2.39	4.50	16.80%	84.30%	Team Stats	2.43	4.33	18.10%	81.10%

Carolina has blown two third period leads only to lose in overtime to both Winnipeg and Vancouver. Tonight they continue their Canadian tour and visit the Edmonton Oilers, who by the way, are still a bad team as well but improving. The top line of Jeff Skinner, Victor Rask and Lee Stempniak have accounted for five of the seven goals so it is no surprise they all skate on the team’s top power play unit. They are joined by Bryan Bickell and defenseman Noah Hanifin on the power play. Justin Faulk is the play on the back line however as he is not only more of an offensive player he does have a goal and two assists in the team’s first two games. Because of the sluggish start head coach Bill Peters has indicated that possibly three new players will be in the lineup tonight, so maybe it’s best that we stop right here.

Connor McDavid has been named one of the three stars of the week thanks to his three goals and three assists in the first three games. Jordan Eberle and Milan Lucic complete the top line and make a decent play here as they also receive the top minutes with the man advantage. Leon Draisaitl makes a great one-off here as he centers the third line but gets exposure to the top line on the power play. It is for this reason he has snagged three goals and two assists so far this season. Andrej Sekera and Oscar Klefbom are the defensemen that see the most ice time but Darnell Nurse has two assists so far, which is one more than each of them. Edmonton should score some goals tonight and maybe even Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will light the lamp for the first time this season.

St. Louis Blues at Vancouver Canucks

Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%	Stats	GF/GP	GA/GP	PP%	PK%
St. Louis Blues					Vancouver Canucks
			Jake Allen					Ryan Miller
			Record					Record
			49-24-9					31-38-13
Team Stats	2.67	2.00	21.50%	85.10%	Team Stats	2.27	2.00	15.80%	81.10%

The return of Jaden Schwartz is a little bit bittersweet as now Jori Lehtera will not travel with the team to Vancouver with an upper body injury. Schwartz will get the opportunity though as the Blues shuffled up the lines and inserted him on a wing with center Alexander Steen and Vladimir Tarasenko. This should not affect the top power play unit however as Steen and Tarasenko are joined by Paul Stastny and defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Alex Pietrangelo for the Blues who have scored four of their 11 goals via the power play. Tarasenko is a tough fade any night and tonight is not the night. Stastny can certainly be used as a one-off tonight as he centers the second line with Robby Fabbri and Ty Rattie. The same can be said for third liner nail Yakupov as he has collected two points in the first three games. If Schwartz is not able to go tonight you would then keep Stastny with Steen and Tarasenko with David Perron.

UPDATE

As per Jeremy Rutherford at 3:10 EST, it looks like Schwartz is out which means Stastny is a decent one-off on the second line with the top line of Tarasenko, Steen and Perron. Jacob Markstrom gets the start for the canucks, so its full steam ahead on all four players.

Ryan Miller has led the Canucks to victories against both Calgary and Vancouver but unfortunately, the St Louis Blues are neither of those teams. The top line of Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin and Loui Eriksson have accounted for just one of the team’s six goals but should be in play here tonight on home ice. I wouldn’t go crazy with them as they are playing a tougher team so maybe throw them in a few line ups to have the late hammer. The rest of the scoring has come from the three other lines with Brandon Sutter, who is on the second line, and Mikael Granlund, who is on the first line, leading the team with a goal and assist each. Defensively either Ben Hutton or Alexander Edler are your best options as both get ample time on the power play. With 23 other teams in action, it may be best to look elsewhere in cash games tonight.