Pre-Game: Game #32 Oilers vs. Sharks

The Oilers limp into San Jose to try and break a two game slide and losers of 7 of the last 9. The Oilers decided the best course of action for Magnus Paajarvi is to send him to Oklahoma City to ply his trade down there. This seemed like such an easy way out for the Oilers to take, but it spits in the face of what philosophy this team is trying to accomplish. Is this a season of getting youngsters experience or a season to finish as far up the standings as they can? Because, right now, it looks like neither and the Oilers have a bunch of buffoons at the helm. I feel lukewarm for Paajarvi on this whole ordeal. On one hand, even though he hasn't scored yet this year, he hasn't hurt the team either and was a complementary part when the Oilers went 8-2-2 to start the year. But on the other hand, its good for him to get some ice time and get far away from Edmonton right now. The Oilers house is getting real messy and I'm wondering if anyone is going to clean it up. San Jose comes into this game winners against Colorado, 5-4 on Thursday night. San Jose has been very hit and miss this year, it will be interesting to see which Sharks team comes to play tonight.

Forwards Sharks
- Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski, Couture, the Sharks are real deep at forward.
Defense Sharks
- Burns and Boyle stabilize a strong Sharks defense.
Goaltending Sharks
- Can't give this to the Oilers when I don't know who will even be in net. Niemi and Greiss have been solid this year.
Special Teams Oilers
- Edmonton won the special teams battle against the Coyotes but still lost the game.
Coaching Sharks
- I think Tom Renney and staff are waiting for some kind of epiphany.
Intangibles Sharks
- Home ice for Sharks will be a big difference here.

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

Smid-Gilbert
Whitney-Petry
Peckham-Potter

Khabibulin
Dubnyk

Sharks:
Mitchell-Thornton-Pavelski
Clowe-Couture-Marleau
McGinn-Handzus-Havlat
Winchester-Desjardins-Murray

Boyle-Vlasic
Demers-Burns
White-Braun

Niemi
Greiss

Game Time: 8 PM MT @ San Jose on CBC.