Pre-Game: Game #19 Oilers vs. Blackhawks

When the Oilers get like this, sometimes its hard to watch. Last game against the Senators was an epic fail on many fronts, lousy execution, lousy intensity, lousy lines, lousy schemes, lousy goaltending, lousy coaching, lousy management, lousy ownership, everyone should be wearing that loss. Question is...what are they gonna do about it? What are they gonna do about it? They should be playing tonight's game pissed right off. I don't if they will be, but they should be. The fact that I even have to ask if they are, is an embarassment in itself. Its time to man up, its time to want the puck and its time to want to make a play, make a positive play. Make many positive plays and good things will happen. I'm happy to see that some of the media around town are starting to think the Edmonton forwards could use a little girth, especially at the top of the lineup. When you have so few forwards that know how to throw a hit, its really difficult to change momentum. The Oilers are really living and dying by the first goal of the game. If they score first, they'll win, if they don't, may as well turn off the lights. Beef in some of the forward scoring spots would help them stay in some games they don't score first in. Chicago is coming off of a 5-2 loss in Calgary last night, before that they were winners of 4 in a row. They still maintain the best record in the Western Conference. The Oilers are fighting for respect, the best we can hope for is they just come out swinging and come out with some fire.

Forwards Blackhawks
- Kane and Toews as the eop 2 line centers for Chicago is a tough matchup for the Oilers.
Defense Blackhawks
- The fact that Chorney and Teubert were both recalled and will likely play is not a good sign for the Oilers trying to break a funk.
Goaltending Blackhawks
- Crawford hasn't been great, but the Oilers goaltending has been abysmal over the last 4 games.
Special Teams Oilers
- The Oilers can make inroads here. Oilers PP and PK are 8th and 7th, while Chicago's is 19th and 26th.
Coaching Oilers
- I think the Oilers coaches are throwing darts at dartboard trying to figure out lines lately. Need clearer role definition.
Intangibles Oilers
- Oilers are getting the Blackhawks in a 2nd game of a back to back set. we'll see if it matters.

Oilers:
Smyth-NugentHopkins-Eberle
Paajarvi-Gagner-Hemsky
Hall-Horcoff-Jones
Lander-Belanger-Eager

Smid-Gilbert
Peckham-Petry
Chorney-Teubert

Dubnyk
Khabibulin

Blackhawks:
Stalberg-Toews-Hossa
Carcillo-Kane-Sharp
Bickell-Kruger-Frolik
Brunette-Bolland-Mayers

Keith-Montador
Leddy-Hjalmarsson
Lepisto-Scott

Emery
Crawford

Game Time - 8 PM MT @ Rexall Place on CBC.