Eberle wants back in the game
Knee ‘felt great’ in Friday skate, winger says
It had never occurred to Jordan Eberle to just take the night off, which is why he elected to give his bothersome knee a test run prior to Thursday’s morning skate.
But the Edmonton Oilers winger said that in hindsight, he was better off for not having played against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, so much so that he could be back as soon as Saturday when the Oilers host the Calgary Flames.
“Our team had been playing really well and it’s great to be a part of that,” he said after taking part in an optional practice session on Friday.
“Against Nashville, it was a great game for myself and (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins). I felt good about myself and when that happens, you just want to keep playing.
“I was really trying to get back for the last game. I tried in the morning but just knew it wasn’t ready,” he continued.
“It felt great today. It felt strong ... and I tried to push it at the end with some battles. We’ll see how it is.”
Eberle’s injury stems from a collision with Mike Fisher in the last shift of Tuesday’s game against the Predators.
Lander’s versatility comes into play
Anton Lander, four games into his most recent call-up, flexed his skills as a utility man against the Sabres, moving from wing to centre, from the power play to the penalty kill.
“When he’s been up before, he’s usually played that fourth line role and we wanted to see how he could handle playing with a different group of guys,” said Oilers’ coach Dallas Eakins.
“He certainly looks like he has more confidence than he had earlier in the season.”
At one point in the game, Eakins said he considered sending Nugent-Hopkins out for another shift at centre but instead elected to send out Lander, who started the game on the wing, alongside Nugent-Hopkins and Tyler Pitlick.
“What are you going to do with it? Are you rattled by it? Are you OK with it? He’s reacted great,” Eakins said.
“I had talked to him before and he just looked at me and said you play me where you want. I’m ready.
“I think he’s up for the challenge. I think if I told him to go play D, he’d go. He’s just doing anything he can to impress not only the staff but the management as well.”
He got no argument from Lander.
“I’m fine with it,” he said. “I’m just happy to play. Obviously I don’t want to be in Oklahoma, I want to be here. I want to be a part of this team.” Oil Drops: According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 27:10 minutes of work Taylor Hall logged against the Sabres is the most by an Oilers forward in a regulation game since Todd Marchant played 28:51 against the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 9, 2003.
Defenceman Anton Belov has been cleared and is back practising with the team. He could return as early as Saturday.
Eakins said he would like to have got Tyler Pitlick more ice time in his first game back with the big club since a knee injury derailed his first NHL call-up back in October. He’ll also have some words of advice for the winger if he plays again against the Flames.
“I thought he was playing really safe and that’s natural,” said Eakins.
“He’s got to have a conscience but when you’re playing with Nuge, you have to make plays too.”