Pre-Game: Game #49 Oilers vs. Canucks

No rest for the weary. Right back at it tonight. The Oilers dug deep and gutted out a 2-1 shootout victory last night over the Sharks. It's nice to have a feel good moment of a win from time to time, even if the win doesn't mean a lot in the overall scheme of things. Tonight a test of physicality as the Canucks will likely bring that, question is whether or not the Oilers will be able to stand up to it. Ben Eager and Darcy Hordichuk were healthy scratches against the Sharks, do they get in against a more physical Canucks team? If they do, who comes out? Personally, I think they will need Eager and Hordichuk in this one especially in a back to back. This game will serve as another one of those litmus test games. Will they build on a win or will they wilt like a desert flower? We'll know soon enough. The excuses are built into this game for the Oilers, the question is whether they will use them like a crutch or not. The Canucks come into this game winners over the Sharks 4-3 on Saturday night. The Canucks are well rested, so the Oilers should be ready for bear.

Forwards Canucks
- The Sedins and Ryan Kesler are going to be tough to handle. The Oilers better be physical with them.
Defense Canucks
- The Canucks are one of the deepest teams on defense in the NHL. Rivaling Nashville.
Goaltending Canucks
- Even though Dubnyk had a great game last night, Luongo and Schneider have been steady all year.
Special Teams Canucks
- One of the few teams where the Oilers would lose the specia teams battle to. Canucks have the best power play in the NHL.
Coaching Canucks
- At this stage, Vigneault has a better resume than Tom Renney does. Vigneault understands that his team needs to come out and pound the Oilers.
Intangibles Canucks
- Oilers had a home game tonight and then fly out to Vancouver.

Oilers:
Hall-Gagner-Eberle
Hartikainen-Horcoff-Hemsky
Paajarvi-Lander-Smyth
Petrell-Belanger-Jones

Smid-Petry
Whitney-Potter
Peckham-Sutton

Khabibulin
Dubnyk

Canucks:
D.Sedin-H.Sedin-Burrows
Booth-Kesler-Higgins
Raymond-Hodgson-Hansen
Malhotra-Lapierre-Weise

Hamhuis-Bieksa
Edler-Salo
Ballard-Alberts

Luongo
Schneider

Game Time - 8 PM MT @ Vancouver on Sportsnet West.