The Edmonton Oilers are set for a late one on Saturday night, with puck drop against the Vancouver Canucks scheduled for 9 p.m. at Rogers Place.
That start time is unusual for a home game, but it is part of a bigger pattern this season. Edmonton is scheduled to play seven games that begin at 9 p.m., including two in its own building. Five of those late starts come on Saturdays, while the other home game is against the Chicago Blackhawks in March.
There are a couple of reasons the schedule looks this way. Alberta stays on daylight saving time year-round, which leaves Edmonton only one hour behind Toronto after the clocks changed elsewhere. National TV considerations matter too, with Sportsnet arranging its Saturday coverage around games across the country.
A later start also gives broadcasters room to spread out their coverage over the evening, and Saturday is probably the easiest night to make it work. Most kids do not have school the next morning, and plenty of adults are off the clock as well.
The bigger question is whether the timing affects the crowd at all. The Oilers have drawn strong attendance for years, and a Saturday night matchup with Vancouver should still carry plenty of appeal no matter when the puck drops.
It should also be a lively game on the ice. Edmonton and Vancouver have already combined for 27 goals in their first two meetings this season, including a 9-7 Oilers win.
The Oilers come in looking to bounce back from Thursday’s 5-4 loss to Anaheim, a game in which they took eight penalties and gave the Ducks too many chances to score. Vancouver, meanwhile, arrives on a four-game losing streak, giving Edmonton a shot to get back in the win column against a team that has been struggling.
Mike Babcock has been pushing his players to tighten up defensively through the opening month, and after giving up five goals against Anaheim, there are still things Edmonton needs to clean up.
There are fair arguments for keeping the occasional late Saturday start on the schedule. The NHL has national broadcast obligations, and spreading games out through the evening gives fans across the country more chances to watch.
Still, seven 9 p.m. starts is a lot for one team in Edmonton, especially with two of them coming at home. Fans heading to Rogers Place tonight will likely be getting home well after midnight, and anyone bringing kids will have to decide whether the late night is worth it.
At least there is a Sunday to recover.
In Other News...
Oilers Get The Win They Needed But One Concern Just Grew
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Oilers Make A Blue Line Move That Puts Depth In Focus
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If he clears waivers, Leppnen would head to the AHLs Bakersfield Condors, a familiar next step for a player trying to get his game back on track. For the Oilers, the decision keeps the focus on managing depth on defence while waiting to see how the rest of the roster settles in around him. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Suddenly Have A Goalie Decision As Help Arrives Up Front
The Oilers got a timely lift on both ends of the roster heading into their game against Vancouver, with Devon Levi and Zach Hyman coming off injured reserve. Levi, who was acquired in the offseason and had been handling the crease before his injury, gives Edmonton another option in goal, while Hymans return from a neck injury adds a needed jolt up front after he missed several games.
The roster shuffle to make room for those moves sent Matt Tomkins down to the AHLs Bakersfield Condors, and it leaves Edmonton with a fresh decision in net as the lineup gets healthier. Hymans presence should help the Oilers forward group, but the bigger immediate question is how the team chooses to manage the crease now that Levi is back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]