It was goaltender Can Talbot who declared the Oilers would reach the post-season the other day, but it is Al Montoya between the pipes for Edmonton Thursday night when the club plays its first game out of the NHL All-Star break.
Of course, Talbot did not land in hot water for his bold prediction earlier in the week, but instead is laid low by an illness and is not well enough to play against the Avalanche at Rogers Place.
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So, with every two points critical for the 13th-place Oilers, the veteran Montoya makes his first start since coming over from the Canadiens in a Jan. 4 trade.
"He's been a good fit for our team," Oilers coach Todd McLellan told reporters. "In a backup role, he's been tremendous because he fits the team's personality. He's a lively guy on the bench and he practices hard. There's a lot of things that he does and he has that experience as a backup to endear himself to his teammates."
The 32-year-old Montoya appeared made three relief appearances for the Oilers, stopping 43 of 45 shots over 121 minutes for a 1.00 GAA and .956 save percentage. He picked up the win on Jan. 12 when he stopped all 19 shots he faced after Talbot surrendered two goals on three shots before being pulled in a 4-2 comeback win by the Oilers.
"When he's gone in, and it hasn't always been in comfortable circumstances, he's played well," said McLellan. "Therefore, his teammates have confidence in him."
"He plays a really calm & relaxed game & that allows the team to settle in. We have a lot of faith in him." @drakecaggiula on Montoya making his first start with the #Oilers tonight pic.twitter.com/WOoaKVnjXV
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 1, 2018
Montoya began the season with the Canadiens and appeared in four games with a 3.77 GAA before suffering a concussion in early November. The Oilers are his sixth NHL team since the Rangers selected him sixth overall in 2004.
The Oilers recalled Laurent Brossoit from the AHL to serve as Montoya's backup against the Avs. Talbot was too ill to practice Wednesday and was off ice again on Thursday, though McClellan stated his hope that the club's No. 1 goalie practices on Friday.
Cam Talbot believes in the #Oilers, do you? pic.twitter.com/wInyOkzG4W
— Tim and Sid (@timandsid) January 30, 2018
Thursday marks the first meeting between the Oilers and Avs this season. Last year, Edmonton won all three games against Colorado, but the teams' fortunes switched dramatically this season with the Oilers 12 points out of the final Western Conference playoff spot and the Avalanche only a point back with a game in hand.
"Pace and execution, two words we'll talk a lot about tonight," offered McClellan. "We've got to play fast and we've got to execute at that speed."
Adam Larsson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins again are out of the Oilers lineup, while the Avs are missing All-Star Nathan MacKinnon, the league's second-leading scorer with 61 points.
"When teams lose their best player, it affects them," said McClellan. "Last time I checked we look up at where Colorado is and it's a team we have to reel in somehow.
"If it affects our mindset because they lost one of their top players and we don't have to work hard and we don't have to compete, then shame on us."