Edmonton at Dallas, SNET-EDM, 6:30 PM

Game Day

Patrik Stefan shows us naysayers why he's a first overall draft pick

Game Story

Edmonton has had its share of struggles this season. Sure, they had the unbelievable October, but they had that four game stretch where they couldn't buy a win.

Then Chicago came in and that ended quickly.

Edmonton and Dallas are organizations that seem to be moving in sickly synchronicity. Both teams employ goaltenders attempting a comeback season (and succeeding very well). Both teams feature some sort of young stars. Both teams had an excellent October. Both ended up kaput-ing in November. 

Like some sort of twin dynamos, we're tied for eighth in the west*. Dallas comes into the game on a streak of five losses (including a 6-0 romp to Florida). The Oilers could have been, but then again, they played Chicago on HNIC.

It should be noted this is the Stars 3rd game in 4 nights. They could very well be quite tired, even for a home game.

Injury Report

Last game? You say nobody got injured? That's freaking crazy!!

Cam Barker (surgery recovery) remains out until March. Andy Sutton (groin) expects to play sometime this week. Eventually.

Ryan Whitney (knee? ankle? random joint? nose?) believes he can start also this week. With their return, look for Teubert and Chorney, a predictably** bad pairing, to be sent down.

Lines

If it ain't broken - don't fix it. Those were some killer lines. I was wrong about Scorecoff - he played really well. I expect him to use this comment to suck the living daylights out of that line now. 

Hotties/Notties

Smyth, Hall, RNH, Eberle, Gilbert and Petry enter this game with incredibly hot hands. Smyth, in fact, has a scoring streak to rival his heyday as a 27 year old. Boom.

Sheldon Souray, former and turfed Oiler now playing for the Stars, has been lighting the lamp up like he never could for the Oilers. He's cooled off a little. After all the guy has been through***, I hope he finds success****. 

Paajarvi and Gagner bring a rather cold streak of NOT SCORING into this game. Mike Ribero, who's always been exceptional in Dallas, is cold in scoring and in faceoff play.

Also - did anyone notice RNH is winning faceoffs, and so is Hall? 

Predictions!

Glorious Prediction - After last game, I have this good ol' feeling that the Oilers have re-defined glorious. Eberle gets his turn with the mad hatter and pots in 3 goals. Father Smythmas registers 2 assists - the Oilers take this one 6-1.

Realistic Prediction - It is a road game, after all... The Oilers pull through on this one 3-2. Dubnyk gets the start for unexplicable reason. And the large contingent of Oilers fans (35 dollars for three games - they're getting very desperate for people) boos Souray everytime he touches the puck.

ELPH Prediction - Souray scores twice, just to stick it to his former employers, as the Stars win 5-3. Oilers fans switch their unusual posture of "Won 9-2? We're winning the cup" to "SLASH AND BURN"

*Heck no. EIGHTH IS OURS

**I predicted it. So hah.

***Living in Hershey? OH NO

****Outside the sport of hockey.