OILERS GAME DAY

EDMONTON 35-23-8 VS. PITTSBURGH 41- 16- 8 7 p.m. SportsNet CHED

INJURIES OILERS — RW Tyler Pitlick (knee).

PITTSBURGH

RW Bryan Rust (undisclosed), D Olli Matta (hand), D Trevor Daley (knee), D Kris Letang (undisclosed), RW Patric Hornqvist (concussion)

NOTES: The Oilers’ slumping penalty kill has fallen to 23rd in the NHL from top-10 earlier in the season. It has allowed seven goals in the last six games … The Oilers have only lost two games in a row three times in the 28 games dating back to New Year’s Day … Edmonton has allowed 22 goals against in the last seven games. Only one previous seven-game segment resulted in more goals against (23 during a 2-5 stretch in November) … Edmonton is below .500 against the East (13-14-2) … In their previous meeting this season, the last match of a five-game road trip, Edmonton gave up a 3-1 lead and lost 4-3 when the Penguins scored on a fluke goal with 1:42 left in regulation time. Jordan Eberle counted two goals and an assist in the loss … With Pouliot back in the lineup, Drake Caggiula will move to the press box on Friday. Iiro Pakarinen will play in place of Jujhar Khaira … Pens winger Hornqvist was a late scratch against Winnipeg on Wednesday and remains out of the lineup with a concussion.

WHO TO WATCH

Connor McDavid: Even though Oilers vs. Penguins is much more than McDavid vs. Crosby, it’s always a treat to see two of the best hockey players in the world going head-to-head.

Sidney Crosby: Crosby is making his one and only visit to Edmonton this season, and he might just show fans he’s got yet another gear, given that he’s going up against the NHL scoring leader.