Oilers turn focus to Western rivals

After playing Eastern Conference teams for more than half of their games through the first third of November, the Edmonton Oilers will face their fellow Western NHL squads exclusively for 10 straight games through the start of December.

The stretch includes six road games and seven clashes with their Pacific Division siblings. What it could mean is we’ll see some separation from the pack by the Oilers, who sit first in the Pacific and second in the West heading into the first of these 10 games or find Edmonton jostling with their rivals to stay in the playoff mix.

Hockey Hall of Fame writer Jim Matheson talks to host Craig Ellingson about the Oilers and their upcoming slate of Western games and about how they got to this point: with improved defensive play, the emergence of Ethan Bear, solid goaltending by the tandem of Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith, and the continued scoring prowess of Leon Draisaitl — the NHL’s leading scorer — and Connor McDavid.