OILERS’ GAME DAY

Five storylines to watch as the Edmonton Oilers travel to Glendale, Ariz., to take on the Coyotes Friday (7 p.m., MT at Gila River Arena, TV: Sportsnet, radio: 630 CHED).

1.

Bottom of barrel stats

The Oilers are 24th in goals per game and 26th in goals allowed per game. They’re 25th on the power play and 31st on the penalty kill. Needless to say, there’s ample room for improvement. They’ve only scored 10 regulation goals in their last eight games since the Christmas break, losing six of them in 60 minutes and one in overtime to Chicago. They haven’t scored more than three goals since Dec. 23 against Montreal.

2.

A strong game from Panik

Any time a player gets traded, his first game with his new team is usually a good one and exHawks’ right-winger Richard Panik is itching for a new start with the Coyotes. After getting dealt for Anthony Duclair Wednesday, Panik needs to get something going. He scored his first goal in 21/2 months Tuesday against Ottawa and hasn’t scored at even strength since the Hawks’ second game of the season.

3.

A look at Montoya

Maybe Cam Talbot, who has started all 12 games since Dec. 16, will get a breather against the Coyotes. With games Friday in Arizona and Saturday in Vegas, it figures the just-acquired Al Montoya will get his first Oilers start in one of these games. He came in for Talbot against the Stars and stopped 12 of 13 shots. Talbot needs a breather and this should be a soft landing for the veteran Montoya, who’s played 160 NHL games.

4.

Time for McDavid to break out Amazingly, Oilers captain Connor McDavid has only scored once on 24 shots against the Coyotes in eight career games. While he has six assists, he’s had little luck around the net. McDavid will see plenty of Oliver EkmanLarsson on the back end and probably centre Derek Stepan up front. He’s been the Oilers’ best player through their awful stretch, but he’s not getting a lot of help.

5.

Plenty of support for Oilers Every time the Oilers drop by the Gila River Arena, they have a huge rooting section of snowbirds and people coming down for a holiday. The Coyotes clearly need Canadian teams to boost their attendance which, while up five per cent over last year, is still 29th, averaging 13,124 in their 20 home dates. They’re 5-13-2 at home, which doesn’t do them any favours. The only worse home averages around the NHL are Carolina at 12,494 and the Islanders at 12,041. Florida is the only other team under 14,000 at 13,242.

PLAYER OF INTEREST

Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Ekman-Larsson has more points (24) against the Oilers than any other team, by quite a lot. The closest is Calgary and Los Angeles with 17 points. He got those 24 points in 29 games against Edmonton. The Coyotes defenceman has 10 goals with six coming on the power play. He scored against the Oilers last time they met in Edmonton, of course. He has four game-winners in there. He’s exactly what the Oilers need on their back end, a rushing, great-passing defenceman who runs a power play. And he’ll be an unrestricted free agent in July 2019.