Oilers shuffle defensive pairings; Nugent-Hopkins questionable for Game 3
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The Edmonton Oilers skated new defensive pairings in practice on Sunday ahead of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, per TSN's Ryan Rishaug.
Rishaug reports that Darnell Nurse was elevated to the top pairing alongside Evan Bouchard. Nurse skated 27:56 in Fridays 5-4 double-overtime loss to the Florida Panthers.
The 30-year-old blueliner has two goals and five points in 18 games in the playoffs this year.
Matthias Ekholm was bounced to the second pairing and will skate alongside John Klingberg - who has skated in the third pairing earlier in these playoffs.
Jake Walman will skate on the third pairing alongside Brett Kulak, who was in the second pairing with Nurse in Game 2.
The roster shakeup comes following a game in which the Oilers allowed four goals in regulation - their most since Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars.
Per NaturalStatTrick, the Panthers have generated more scoring chances to this point in the series - 76 for the Panthers vs. 61 for the Oilers.
Nugent-Hopkins absent from practice, considered game-time decision for Game 3
Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was absent from Sunday's practice session, and Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters after the session that he is considered a game-time decision.
The 32-year-old, who has five goals and 18 points in the playoffs so far, skated 25:45 in Friday's loss, where he recorded two shots on goal.
Veteran forward Jeff Skinner skated in his place on the top line alongside Connor McDavid and Corey Perry, but multiple reports indicate it was just as a fill-in.
Nugent-Hopkins missed just four games in the regular season and has appeared in every game in the playoffs.
The series shifts to Florida after the sides split the first two games in Edmonton, with Game 3 going on Monday.