PITTSBURGH — Edmonton Oilers forward James Neal has had the privilege of playing with two of the most dynamic players to lace on a pair of skate in Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid.
Evgeni Malkin and Leon Draisaitl are not too shabby, either.
So returning to face the Pittsburgh Penguins as a member of the Edmonton Oilers, Neal has a unique perspective of the talent on display Saturday at the PPG Paints Arena.
“I think there is similarity in their speed for sure,” Neal said Friday. “What sets them apart from the rest of the group is their ability to handle pucks at that speed. There are other fast guys, but those guys can make plays and handle the puck at that speed and find guys around the net or trailers or anything like that. Their ability to play with the puck and skate like that it’s what sets them apart, I think.”
Saturday is the seventh time McDavid will go up against Crosby. Pittsburgh has won every meeting, although McDavid has outscored Crosby through the first six games.
Neal, 32, spent parts of four seasons with the Penguins after being traded from the Dallas Stars. He was eventually traded to the Nashville Predators and went on to lose in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final to Crosby and the Penguins.
“I enjoyed my time here and loved playing with the guys on this team,” Neal said. “It’s been a few years now, so it’s a little bit different than when I was a little fresher, but it’s always nice to come back.”
Acquired from the Calgary Flames this offseason in exchange for forward Milan Lucic, Neal is having an excellent season for the Oilers. He goes into the game against the Penguins with 11 goals and 13 points in 14 games. Last season, Neal had seven goals and 19 points in 63 games with the Flames.
“I don’t think I’m surprised, the way he shoots the puck, he’s just a pure goal scorer,” Crosby said of Neal’s resurgence. “You combine him with some of the guys that can make plays on their team, that’s a pretty good combination. We saw it firsthand here what he can do and how good of player he is, and he’s been playing unreal for them.”
THIRD STAR HONOURS FOR DRAISAITL
Leon Draisaitl finished October as the leading scorer in the NHL with 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 14 games.
For his efforts, Draisaitl was named the Third Star of the month by the NHL. Washington Capitals defenceman John Carlson and Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak were named first and second stars, respectively.
“He’s been great and he’s been that way for a long time,” McDavid said. “Obviously last year, scoring 50 goals and getting over 100 points, that’s impressive. He’s off to a good start again as well this year, so hopefully, he can keep that going.”
As good as Draisaitl has been offensively, he’s also been solid in his own end of the ice. On Wednesday in a 4-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Draisaitl was sent out to kill a five-on-three penalty with Darnell Nurse and Oscar Klefbom. The kill kept the Blue Jackets from closing the gap to two goals late in the second period.
“That’s a trait in a player that I learned when I was in Pittsburgh here as a player a long time ago,” Oilers coach Dave Tippett said. “Scotty Bowman was our coach and we had Mario Lemieux and (Ron) Francis and I was a penalty killer at the bottom end of that.
“He used to say Mario was going to play five-on-three and I would say that’s my job. And then Mario would go out there with a long stick and just read all the situations and do a great job at it. Since then, I’ve always thought top players who read plays very well are good there. Leon is one of those guys, he just figures things out.”
BREAKING THROUGH ON BOTTOM SIX
Jujhar Khaira scored his first goal of the season, which gave the bottom end of the Oilers lineup some reprieve heading into the contest against the Penguins.
The line of Khaira, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Sam Gagner have been effective since being put together at the start of the road trip.
“We talked as a line and we think we’ve been playing really well, playing solid and driving the play and playing in the other team’s end a lot,” Gagner said. “I think we can do some things offensively to break through and be a little sharper in those areas. Sometimes getting a goal as a line just helps those guys settle in.”
Gagner was called up after starting the season with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL in an effort to help offensively. Gagner will be suiting up in his fifth game for the Oilers on Saturday against the Penguins. He has an assist through his first four games.
“I feel better and better. I think we’re playing well, but there are some things we can do offensively a little better,” Gagner said. “I think I’m trying to play hard on both sides of the puck. I’m feeling pretty comfortable, I’m trying to play well, but I have to try and chip in a little bit offensively here, make a few more plays in the O-zone and hopefully have some success that way.”
SHEAHAN FEELING FINE
Oilers forward Riley Sheahan took a big hit from Blue Jackets centre Pierre-Luc Dubois on Wednesday and had to leave the game, but was back on the ice Friday and will likely play against Pittsburgh.
The Oilers recalled Colby Cave from Bakersfield and sent defenceman William Lagesson back down now that Joel Persson is healthy.
“I’m feeling pretty good. It was a little tweak there, but it’s pretty good,” Sheahan said. “These things happen, it’s hockey, it’s a physical game. But I’m ready to help in any way I can.”
Email: dvandiest@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @DerekVanDiest
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November 02, 2019 at 06:30AM
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