Pre-Game: Game #22 Oilers vs. Wild

Another chance to slay the dragon in Minnesota. 17 lost games in a row in Minnesota. I'm sure the Oilers are sick of hearing it, I know I am. If there was ever a game to "just bring it", today's the day. After laying the beatdown on the Predators 6-2 on Tuesday night, jebus knows what kind of Oilers team is going to show up tonight. Losing game they should win and winning games they should lose, the Oilers have been all over the map this season. I'd say this game is another "big" game, or another litmus test, but since the Oilers have been so sporadic lately, I would think that's a given. I can't even venture a guess how this game will end, but its all a part of the appeal of the 2011-2012 season of the Oilers. I will say scoring first will likely play a big part of it though, that much I can tell you. Minnesota comes into this game with the most points in the NHL. Minnesota comes into this game, winners of 5 in a row. They beat Nashville on Wednesday night 3-2. It should be an inteesting game that might mean a lot come March. Ultimately, I think this is a good matchup for the Oilers, but they just seem so cursed here.

Forwards Oilers
- The Oilers crew is dynamic, but there is no doubt they run hot and cold.
Defense Oilers
- Ryan Whitney coming back will make everyone else better and drop them down a slot.
Goaltending Wild
- The Wild have a team GAA of 1.92 which is the best in the NHL.
Special Teams Oilers
- The Oilers have the 5th ranked PP against the Wild 25th.
Coaching Wild
- Mike Yeo has his team going. With 3 very responsible centers in Koivu, Cullen and Brodziak, the Oilers centers figure to see tough matchups.
Intangibles Wild
- The dreaded 17 game curse will come into play at some point this game.

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

Whitney-Petry
Smid-Gilbert
Peckham-Teubert

Khabibulin
Dubnyk

Wild:
Heatley-Koivu-Setoguchi
Clutterbuck-Cullen-Bouchard
Powe-Brodziak-Johnson
Gillies-Peters-Staubitz

Scandella-Spurgeon
Schultz-Stoner
Falk-Prosser

Harding
Hackett

Game Time - 2 PM MT @ Minnesota on Sportsnet Oilers.