Oilers expected to shake up forward lines against Flyers as they try to end losing streak

A number of Edmonton Oilers forwards could find themselves in different roles in the team’s lineup on Tuesday night as the hockey club tries to end a three-game winless streak and win its first game of the season when it takes on the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Oilers posted their projected lineup on the team’s website late Tuesday morning showing captain Connor McDavid is expected to centre a line with Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman on his wings.

With Draisaitl expected to move to the wing, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is expected to centre the second line between Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson, two wingers in their first season with the Oilers.

After the team’s morning skate on Tuesday, reporters asked Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch about the changes to the lines that fans can expect to see at Rogers Place when the puck drops.

“Right now, for any skilled player or any player in particular, you get that first goal or assist (and) it makes you feel that much better,” he said, suggesting he hopes McDavid and Draisaitl playing together will yield some goals.

Knoblauch said that Podkolzin’s promotion — at least for now — to the second line is in part a result of the offensive chances he has had so far, but also for a number of other reasons.

“I think he’s played really well,” Knoblauch said of the 23-year-old forward from Russia. “He’s done a lot of good things.

“(Moving him to the second line) also gives us more — his physical play. We need a little more of that and he’s been providing that. This gives him an opportunity to move up in the lineup.”

5:28 Host of Inside Sports weighs in on upcoming Edmonton Oilers season

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Knoblauch added he believes the Oilers generated at least enough offensive opportunities in their season opener against the Winnipeg Jets and in Saturday’s loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.

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“Third game? No,” he said of the Oilers’ offensive chances in Sunday’s loss to the Calgary Flames. “There was some frustration.”

In Edmonton’s first three games this season, the Oilers have averaged over 31 shots per game but only scored three goals. The power play has only succeeded once in five chances and the team’s penalty kill is currently last in the NHL at 44.4 per cent.

At 0-3, the Oilers’ start has already caused some nervousness for fans who watched the team get off to a horrendous 3-9-1 start last season before firing Jay Woodcroft as coach and replacing him with Knoblauch and putting together an impressive regular season and even more impressive playoff run.

The Oilers hope to earn a win against the Flyers, who have won one of their two games so far this season, and avoid Edmonton’s first 0-4 start to a season since 2015-16.

“I’d rather be 3-0 right now,” Oilers defenceman Mattias Ekholm said Tuesday. “I look at it as we’re building our game — we’re trying to get better every game.

“To be honest, I don’t think there’s … (just one) area or two areas that are really malfunctioning. It’s more little pieces here and there and I think it’s all over the ice.

“It’s a little bit everywhere where we need to get better…. We’ve had our moments in games but we just need to be consistent.”

Draisaitl said he and his teammates should be focusing on details of the game.

“That’s where we’ve been lacking a bit and obviously just giving up too many goals,” he said. “Take care of our own end and pay attention to the little things.

“We’ll break through offensively eventually.”

Draisaitl added that he believes “there’s stretches where we played some pretty good hockey.”

“I think last game the first period or half the game was pretty good. And then we just kind of fell apart.”

The Oilers take on the Flyers at 8 p.m. at Rogers Place on Tuesday. You can listen to the game live on 880 CHED.

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