Game Thread: Oilers at Detroit

When you look at a map, sure, it makes sense that the Red Wings are in the NHL's Eastern Conference, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it. And I don't. From the days of the Norris Division on, for all of my life, the Red Wings have been in the same conference as the Oilers. And now they're not. Just like that. Nobody checked with me. I wasn't consulted in any way. No, the NHL just decided that they know what's best as if east and west are terms that should have some sort of meaning. No, I don't like it at all.

As for the Oilers, if they're going to salvage anything from this road trip - remember when five games in the East were supposed to be easy - they're going to have to play a whole hell of a lot better than they did in their last game against Carolina. That performance would have to be ranked among the worst that we've seen from the Oilers this season. How will they respond? Another strong performance, like we saw when they visited Washington? Or will it be another dud?