Game Thread - Blackhawks at Oilers

The lovely City of Saskatoon will play host tonight to a preseason tilt between the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks. For what it's worth the Oilers are listed as the home team because, well, I guess somebody has to be the home team, and the last time I checked Edmonton was a wee bit closer to Saskatoon than Chicago is (disclaimer: I have never checked this) so I guess the Oilers get the last change by default. Maybe the Hawks would like to score us a couple of goals too.

When And Where

Early start today, 4PM, at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon.

How To Tune In

It doesn't look like there is a television option available tonight. That leaves you with the radio broadcast courtesy of 630 CHED or you can stream the game online at edmontonoilers.com or sportsnet.ca, provided of course that you reside in AB, SK, NWT, or NU.

What To Watch For With The Oilers

The Oilers aren't icing a great lineup this evening (good news for those with tickets to the game tomorrow night in Edmonton), almost half of what will likely be the team's opening night top nine is taking the evening off, the same goes for about half of the defence. So I suggest keeping an eye of Iiro Parkarinen. Why you ask? Good question. For starters he's Finnish, and Finnish hockey players are just the best, that's a scientific fact. And he's one of only a couple players with much of a chance to play his way onto the team.

What To Watch For With The Blackhawks

Since we don't know who's going to be in the Hawks lineup it's a little hard to say, but Second City Hockey has a couple things:

The biggest [reason to watch], of course, is that several players will take the ice for the first time this season. Teuvo Teravainen, Joakim Nordstrom and Kris Versteeg are all expected to play against the Oilers after missing the first three games, and I think it's fair to say that everyone is interested in seeing how these guys (mainly Teuvo) look.

Line Combinations

Edmonton Oilers

David Perron - Leon Draisaitl - Nail YakupovIiro Pakarinen - Anton Lander - Jordan EberleKale Kessy - Mark Arcobello - Teddy PurcellCurtis Hamilton - Jason Williams - Jesse Joensuu

Andrew Ference - Dillon SimpsonMartin Marincin - Martin GernatJordan Oesterle - Justin Schultz

Richard BachmanLaurent Brossoit

Chicago Blackhawks

We literally don't know. Saskatchewan isn't know for it's wonderful wireless coverage but I still have to think that just two hours before game time that surely someone could have found a way to pass this information along.