The Edmonton Oilers are down another star. In the wake of the National Hockey League team placing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on injured reserve Thursday morning, winger Zach Hyman was absent from the morning skate alongside his teammates in Vancouver, where the Oilers will try to avenge Tuesday’s season-opening loss to the same opponent. Thursday’s game starts at 8 p.m. MT. Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin skated on the top line alongside Connor McDavid instead of Game 1 partners Hyman and Alex Formenton, who was slotted on the third even-strength unit with centre Owen Michaels and winger Mathieu Joseph. Colton Dach centred Max Jones and Kasperi Kapanen on the second line at morning skate, while Ike Howard and Trent Frederic lined up on the wings of call-up Josh Samanski on the fourth. Nugent-Hopkins, who had been pegged to centre the Oilers’ second line to start the season, was scratched from the team’s lineup ahead of Tuesday’s eventual 6-5 overtime loss after suffering a lower-body injury in Monday’s practice. He will be unable to play for at least one week. The Oilers also placed forward Matthew Savoie and defenceman Alec Regula on long-term injured reserve Thursday, meaning they’ll be out of action for 24 days and 10 games.
