Opposite Directions

While the initial two games this season were tight, competitive affairs, the latter half of the Battle of Alberta has been anything but. As the Oilers' season have progressed through the 82 game shedule, they have regressed in just about everything else. Injuries have decimated this team throughout the season, starting with Ethan Moreau and including (but not limited to): Smyth, Stoll, Staois (ending an impressive ironman like streak), Hemsky, Tjarnqvist, Pisani etc. etc. And while injuries piled up, so did the underwhelming offensive performances of many key players.

The Oilers gave up the one continuous shining light over the past 12 seasons on deadline day as Ryan Smyth went to the New York Islanders for prospects, ensuring that the fork was officially in the Oilers' cooked season. Since that trade, the Oilers have been outscored 8-0 to one mediocre team, and another team that should have been tired, but looked anything but against this hapless Oiler squad. And while one hometown hero diverges into another path in his life, another hometown boy becomes a better and better example of everything thats wrong with the Oilers' club. Joffrey Lupul's play has morphed from interesting (1st game of season) to quizical, (what does this guy do exactly), to hopeful (he's getting better...I think...) to put his head on a steak bad (for example, Lupul makes a breakaway pass to Gaborik). Unforunately, Lowe seems unable (unlikely) or unwilling (likely) to deal with Lupul's ineptitude, so it seems we are all stuck with him for another season at least.

The Flames season though, seems to be garnering momentum over the past couple games, with a 7-4 run and gun show on HNIC last week, a convincing 5-1 victory over the Coyotes, and an impressive 2-1 comeback victory over the notoriously stingy Minnesota Wild. However, as mentioned by Duncan a while back, when the Flames are playing at home, everything seems ok, as if this team doesn't have glaring issues. But as anyone who is not living on Mars knows, the Flames have big problems.

A stellar home record, an undeniably disasterous road record.

In my opinion, the Flames don't even look that different on the road, but their mentality clearly is. Whether they're giving up late game leads (Buffalo) or simply getting blown out of the water (Detroit), this team simply TRIES to find ways to lose.

However, the Flames most recent victory over The Wild was not only a sublime defensive effort, it was also capped off in the shootout, a new feat for the season. Can this give the Flames a mental boost to get that road monkey off their backs?

Debatable.

But if The Flames don't trounce this inept Oilers group tonight, I think it would be a stining indictment against this team's ability to win in the playoffs. As a group Calgary has dominated Edmonton over the last two games, neither of which were close.

Will this put a bee in the Flames bonnet and inspire them to win more on the road? I'm afraid (for more reasons than you know) that I'll have to agree with Bill Watters; if youthink one road victory against the Oilers is going to turn this ship around, you're taking crazy pills. I can't think it will hurt though...

Keep an eye on:
Marc-Antoine Pouliot - has shown some playmaking ability and looks like a half decent shot.
Ales Hemsky - usually in some way responsible for 90% of all Oiler's chances
Raffi Torres - Has been very feisty of late, by which I mean he seems to get in a lot of fights.

Dion Phaneuf - has been a thorn in Edmonton's side all season series long
Jarome Iginla - loves to light up the Oilers
Miikka Kipprusoff - has had some of his best games all year against the Oilers

for more takes check out:

Steal Thunder

Walking Invisible

Leanne

Andy Grabia

**Update**

The Oilers are pulling out all the stops, as Mark Messier suited up for the morning skate!