Pre-Game: Exhibition Game #4 Oilers vs. Flames

After the last game against the Canucks, coach Tom Renney was less than pleased with the Oilers performance. A lack of puck battle and a lack of going to the hard areas of the ice led to the loss against the Canucks. Tonight, I get the feeling there will be a need for grit, jam, tenacity, whatever you want to call it, will be iced. Lander and Hartikainen will likely get back into the lineup. Khabibulin likely to start in goal in effort to "find himself". I would suggest there should be a bigger commitment to "wanting the puck" from everyone playing tonight.

The Flames come in 1-1 on the preseason, only having played the Canucks thus far. The Flames have a naturally bigger lineup so it should pose another good test for the Oilers in their evolution to become grittier.

I will post the lineup once it becomes available.

Hall-NugentHopkins-Hartikainen
Jones-Gagner-Keller
Green-Belanger-Pitlick
Martindale-Lander-Tyrvainen

Sutton-Gilbert
Barker-Tulupov
Peckham-Petry

Khabibulin
Danis

Rundown:
Interesting line combos. Hall gets his first look with Nugent-Hopkins, having Hartikainen with them will help as he can retrieve some pucks. Pitlick gets another look at the wing, I'm not sure thats the right thing to do with Pitlick, but there he is. I still think he should get more looks at center as they have a definite need for shooting RH centers. Keller and Gagner could have some mojo going as long as Gagner continues his shooting of the puck. The D pairings have some good things going on. They seem to have paired a puck mover with a tough stay at home type. Its definitely the way to go. With the amount of stay at home types the Oilers will likely have on the team this year, they will likely have to flirt with playing a forward on the point on the PP. Paajarvi will likely get first dibs on that, I think Hall may get some looks back there as well.


Game Time - 6 PM MT @ edmontonoilers.com Rexall Place