Oilers hope Malone will haunt Hurricanes (Oct 17, 2017)
EDMONTON, Alberta -- The Edmonton Oilers are on a three-game losing streak, and recent games against the Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators weren't close.
With the Hurricanes (1-1-1) coming to town Tuesday night, the Oilers will look to a former Carolina player to give them a spark.
Veteran center Brad Malone practiced with the Oilers (1-3-0) on Monday after being called up from the team's AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, Calif. Malone has played 176 career NHL games and was with the Hurricanes last season, so there is a good chance that his Oilers debut could come against his former team.
"I have a lot of good friends over there," Malone said. "But, at the same time, I'm here (in Edmonton) now, and I'm not going to be holding anything back."
Malone was at Edmonton's training camp and scored twice in five preseason games.
He is needed because the Oilers' infirmary list is growing. Coach Todd McLellan confirmed Monday that center Leon Draisaitl would miss his second straight game with an eye injury and concussion-like symptoms. Draisaitl finished eighth in NHL scoring last season with 77 points.
Both Draisaitl and left winger Drake Caggiula, who has missed the Oilers last two games, were placed on injured reserve. Caggiula is out with an undisclosed ailment.
Malone said fans can expect a "blue-collar" game from him.
"In terms of what I am going to do, I am just going to be myself," Malone said. "Try to be physical, bring some energy ... try to create some momentum and get the little details correct."
McLellan said, "For me, he's a pretty responsible defensive guy, and he was one of our bottom-six players that produced offensively during training camp. He had two ... goals and a few helpers playing in that role. He has the ability to penalty-kill, all areas that we're looking to improve on."
The Oilers will also need better work from their defensemen and goaltending to break the skid. They have given up 14 goals over the three-game skid, and starting netminder Cam Talbot was pulled in two of them.
The Hurricanes have four points through three games, but they scored only twice in their most recent two games -- a 2-1 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and a 2-1 regulation loss to the Jets.
"I think we just need to be more hungry. We have opportunities," Jeff Skinner, who leads the Hurricanes with two goals, told NHL.com. "More hunger, more desperation. It's disappointing when that's the reason because that's in your control. We need more hunger and more desperation, for sure."
Carolina coach Bill Peters told the league's website, "We've got to get to the net. There's too many times where (the goalie is) seeing it. If you're shooting from distance with no traffic, they're going to make the save and there's nobody there for seconds and thirds. That's what that is."
Peters grew up in the town of Killam, less than a two-hour drive from Edmonton.
Right winger Josh Jooris, who had 10 points in 42 games for the Arizona Coyotes last season, could make his Hurricanes debut Tuesday. Peters indicated that defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, who missed the past two games with a concussion, might be healthy enough to skate against the Oilers.
