Vancouver @ Edmonton preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 16, 2018 ) Edmonton 2, Vancouver 4

The Vancouver Canucks came up empty in the finale of their five-game homestand prior to the holiday break but hope their batteries are recharged as they begin a six-game road trip Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. Vancouver completed its stretch at Rogers Arena 3-2-0 after being blanked 1-0 by Winnipeg on Saturday.

The Canucks begin their trek with a four-game point streak on the road (3-0-1) during which they've averaged four goals. Rookie Elias Pettersson tops the team with 36 points and shares the club lead in tallies with 17, five of which are game-winners and five that have come on the power play. Edmonton is seeking the first win of its five-game homestand after dropping the first two contests - and three straight overall. The Oilers fell 4-1 to St. Louis in the opener of their string at Rogers Place before suffering a 6-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday in which captain Connor McDavid notched three assists for his fourth multi-point performance in six games.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (17-18-4): Bo Horvat is tied with Pettersson for the team lead in goals and trails the 20-year-old Swede by two points after collecting six over his last six games. The 23-year-old Horvat has not been kept off the scoresheet in back-to-back contests since Oct. 25 and 27, registering 10 goals and 15 assists in 27 games since. Alex Edler played in his 782nd game Saturday, moving him past Harold Snepsts for most by a defenseman in franchise history.

ABOUT THE OILERS (18-15-3): McDavid, the reigning two-time Art Ross Trophy winner, is in pursuit of his third straight award as he entered the break seven points behind Colorado's Mikko Rantanen (59) for the league lead. The 21-year-old McDavid, who has been kept off the scoresheet in only five of his 35 contests this season, notched his 200th career assist Saturday to become the sixth player in NHL history to reach the plateau before his 22nd birthday. Alex Chiasson has scored in four of his last five games to increase his career-high total to 16 during his first season with Edmonton after attending training camp on a tryout basis.

OVERTIME

1. McDavid has reached the 50-point mark faster than any Oiler since Mark Messier (31 games in 1989-90).

2. Vancouver RW Brock Boeser is three games away from his 100th in the NHL.

3. Edmonton C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has collected six goals and three assists over his last nine contests.

PREDICTION: Oilers 4, Canucks 2