Game Thread: Oilers at Sharks - These Guys Again

In the last 39 days the Oilers have one win. One lousy win in 17 games. When you win one game in 17 tries it's a safe bet that nobody is playing particularly well, but the Oilers really should have won a couple more games in this stretch. In eight of those 17 games the Oilers have held their opponent to two goals or less through 60 minutes of play, and they've managed to lose all but one of those eight games. That's kind of amazing in a depressing kind of way. A puck off a defenders leg, a shot that goes in off the post instead of bouncing away, even an off night from the opposition netminder, any one of those and this team could have two, three, maybe four more wins. Just score a damn goal already.

How To Tune In

Late start tonight, 8:30PM on Sportsnet 360. Unless the Oilers are winning, I'll be in bed before the end of the second period. So I'll be in bed before the end of the second period.

What To Watch For From The Oilers

Oh, Boyd Gordon, how we missed you. On a team where so many of the players look lost in their own end of the rink, you're one of the bright spots, taking on tough assingments and coming out on the right end more often than not. It just hasn't been the same without you.

With Gordon returning to the lineup, Matt Hendricks moves back to the wing and Luke Gazdic will spend the night in the press box where can't do any real damage. Hendricks-Gordon-Pinizzotto is practically a functional fourth line; which is going to be a very nice thing to have on the road against a good San Jose team. Can any of these guys score goals?

What To Watch For From The Sharks

San Jose Sharks

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Storylines courtesy of Fear The Fin:

• Edmonton's only win in its last 17 games (as well as its only win against a Western Conference opponent this season) came against the Sharks on December 7th.
• Antti Niemi will start in goal for the Sharks, likely against Ben Scrivens for Edmonton who kept the Oilers in the game against Arizona on Tuesday before an eventual last-second overtime loss.
• John Scott draws into the lineup for Tye McGinn.

Final Thought

Sorry, kid, if you're going to lose hockey games, you're going to do it in an Oilers jersey not a German one.

#Oilers announce forward Leon Draisaitl will not participate in the 2015 World Junior Championship. #WJC2015

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 18, 2014