McDavid looking to bust Oilers' slump: 'There's no excuse tonight'

Edmonton Oilers, this is your captain speaking.

Connor McDavid wants to see a different result Tuesday night when the Arizona Coyotes roll into town, as Edmonton looks to end a skid in which they've lost four of five, most recently a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks.

"We've had a few days to readjust and get back into it, so there's no excuse tonight," McDavid told reporters.

The Oilers have endured a prolonged stretch of futility, stagnated by the All-Star break and their increasingly criticized league-mandated bye week. They've scored only five goals in five games, while dropping to third place in the Pacific Division.

Like the rest of the Oilers' attack, McDavid has been stifled of late, accruing just two points over the frustrating stretch. The dry spell has come after a six-game point streak - which included three goals and six assists - carried McDavid into Los Angeles for his first-ever All-Star Weekend.

Perhaps McDavid picked the right time to call on his troops, as Arizona allows 3.11 goals per game (27th), and enters Edmonton on the second half of a back-to-back.