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Oilers @ Predators Game 23 Preview

Can Oilers ever win a game against the West?

Hall notched his 100th career goal on Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to the Stars
Hall notched his 100th career goal on Tuesday in a 3-2 loss to the Stars
Chris LaFrance-USA TODAY Sports


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@

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6-14-2, 14 points, .636 p/g Ranks 14-5-2, 30 points, .1.428 p/g
Western Conference - 14th Western Conference - 3rd
29th P/G 5th
17th ST 8th
28th ES 1st
29th Goal 3rd
6 PM - SN 360
Bridgesone Arena
The opposing view: On the Forecheck

Still Without A Win In The West

The Oilers made the last one a helluva lot more interesting than Saturday's debacle in Edmonton, but still were unable to overcome the Stars in Dallas.  A pair of goals for Tyler Seguin and a 70-foot first period marker by John Klingberg gave the Dallas Stars a 3-2 victory over the hapless Oilers.  Boyd Gordon scored a gritty shorthanded goal late in the first, and Taylor Hall scored his 100th career NHL goal in the third period, but the Oilers had a few, uh, memorable moments that aided in their undoing.

The Oilers remain winless agianst the West (0-11-1).  They'll face a daunting task in facing a Nashville squad that's leading the Central division.  Let's go!

The Oilers are saying

"I thought we battled back, but like I said once again, we're chasing, we're behind the eight ball, and that's not how you win games, especially in the Western Conference"

That's Oilers forward Jordan Eberle after Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars

The Oilers didn't hold the lead at any time in Tuesday's loss.  Things got off to a shaky start after Oilers goaltender Viktor Fasth yielded a goal from the red line, and like Eberle suggested, the team was chasing the Stars all night. Nashville will no doubt prove to be a tough task for these Oilers, who have gone winless in their last seven (0-6-1). Edmonton's seven game losing streak started off against the Predators on November 11th, when they were defeated by a 3-2 margin.

The Opponent is saying

"He's a good guy to work with.  He's eager to learn more, he's eager to keep working hard and it's a good combination.  Any kind of success you have, it's always based on hard work. That's what we try to build our foundation on with him and it's been good"
How important is the relationship between the goalies and their goaltending coach?  That's a good question.  Former Oilers goaltending coach Frédéric Chabot was relieved of his duties earlier in the week in favour of former Oil Kings goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz, and while it certainly appeared that Chabot's welcome had been firmly worn out, will replacing him with a WHL goaltending coach net any positive results?

It's probably a bit easier for Ben Vanderklok to know he's going to work with Pekka Rinne than it is for Chabot or Dustin Schwartz to help manage a winner between the pipes on this current incarnation of the Oilers.

Have some of this
  • Dallas' Ryan Garbutt will have a disciplinary hearing today for this ugly knee on Taylor Hall.  Garbutt is a repeat offender.  Five games is my guess.
  • Anyone see Boyd Gordon's goal?  Just drive on up to that net and put it in on your own rebound.Yeah, the team's shorthanded, but you've got this.  Solid all around.
  • Oilers have recalled Oscar Klefbom.  Is this the time when Justin Schultz finally catches the pine? After that silly excuse for a line change on Dallas' second goal, the time is now.
  • Luke Gazdic made his triumphant return to the Oilers lineup against his former club.  He was on the third line with Nail Yakupov and Leon Draisaitl for a total ice time of 3:42.  Stop wasting my time with this.
  • The goalie carousel is spinning wildly right now.  Fasth got the start in Dallas, so I'd venture to say it's a safe guess that Ben Scrivens will get the go tonight for les Oilers.
  • The Oilers are still winless against the Western Conference (0-11-1).  Tonight, that all changes.  (drinks)
  • Finally, here's a nine minute segment of Taylor Hall's first 100 goals with the Edmonton Oilers.  It'll give your mind a pleasant distraction from another mind-numbing season of Oilers hockey.
  • GOILERS