Oilers @ Blue Jackets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Edmonton Oilers (46-26-6)

@ Columbus Blue Jackets (35-36-7)

Starting Goalies:

Mikko Koskinen (EDM): Confirmed

Elvis Merzlikins (CBJ): Confirmed

Current odds:

Edmonton Oilers: (-256)

Columbus Blue Jackets: (+208)

• A visit to struggling Columbus could provide a good opportunity for the Edmonton Oilers to continue their late-season surge. Fresh off clinching a playoff berth, the visiting Oilers aim for a fifth consecutive victory on Sunday afternoon while trying to hand the Blue Jackets a fifth straight defeat.

• Evander Kane recorded a hat trick among his four points while captain Connor McDavid assisted on three goals for Edmonton (46-26-6, 98 points), which secured that playoff spot with a 6-3 home win over Western Conference-leading Colorado on Friday night.

• Sitting 23-8-3 since Jay Woodcroft replaced Dave Tippett as the team’s head coach, the Oilers have outscored their opponents 48-25 during their current 10-1-1 run.

• The Oilers sit second in the Pacific Division and are in position to record 100 points for the first time since 2016-17. However, they want to keep the momentum going enough to win their first playoff series since that same season — and more.

• Meanwhile, McDavid already has equaled his career-best 116 points (43 goals, 73 assists).

• The Oilers’ push to finish strong continues at Columbus, where they’ll try to beat the Blue Jackets (35-36-7, 77 points) for a sixth consecutive time. Jesse Puljujarvi scored two goals and set up another as Edmonton rolled to a 5-2 home win over Columbus on Dec. 16.

• Draisaitl has posted consecutive three-point games at Columbus, while McDavid has two goals with eight assists in five career contests at Columbus.

• Eliminated from the playoff chase and battered by injuries, the Blue Jackets have managed eight goals during their current 0-3-1 rut. Jack Roslovic notched his career-high 20th goal on Friday, but Columbus failed to hold an early lead and lost 2-1 in a shootout at home to Ottawa.

• Roslovic has yet to score a goal in seven career games versus Edmonton. Meanwhile teammate Elvis Merzlikins lasted two periods after allowing four goals on 29 shots against the Oilers in December. However, he has a 1.73 goals-against average in his last four starts.

• Current Columbus backup J-F Berube allowed five goals on 31 shots in his return to the NHL during a 6-4 loss at Anaheim last weekend.

• Meanwhile, Edmonton’s Mike Smith has been stellar in posting a 1.75 GAA and .949 save percentage while winning all eight of his April starts. He’s started four straight games over Mikko Koskinen, who has matched a career high with 25 wins, but owns a 4.79 GAA during his current 0-3-1 road slide