Oilers Lose a Stinker to the Blues

From one extreme to another.

The Edmonton Oilers played a wonderful road game against the Dallas Stars to snap a very long and glaring losing streak on Thursday; only to come back and be embarrassed by the Blues on Friday.

Needing two points, that could have moved the Oilers back into a playoff spot in the Western Conference, the Oilers fell flat, were outplayed and simply didn't show up ready to play. Perhaps it was the score at the end of the first when the Oilers led 2-0 on goals by Taylor Hall and the re-inserted Ryan Whitney that made Edmonton believe things were on their way to sunnier days, but the Oilers were lucky to have that lead and didn't realize it.

St. Louis was the tougher team, the faster team and the play was heavily in the Oilers zone for all sixty minutes of play. The Oilers powerplay was again woeful and the penalty kill couldn't save them as St. Louis capitalized on their chances.

So, the Oilers sit 12th in the West and on the outside looking in. Worse, yet, Taylor Hall went down to injury in the second period with what the team is calling a leg concern that they want to watch for precautionary reasons. They expect him to be back in the line-up Sunday against Minnesota, but things didn't sound too concrete after their match-up against the Blues.

Taylor Hall blocked a shot with his arm and then not a couple plays later, went awkwardly into the end boards after losing his balance. Whether Edmonton knew the game was out of reach of just felt Hall's injury too much to chance, Edmonton's most effective forward left and didn't return to the game.

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The sky isn't falling however. The Oilers have 3 of a possible 5 points already earned on this road trip. They've earned these points in games few expected them to walk away with anything and as a result, while not in the playoff spot, they sit only two points out and four points away from division leaders Vancouver for third in the West. Vancouver just so happens to be on a bit of a skid, having lost two in a row and set to take on the red-hot Kings tonight on CBC.

The Oilers will face the Wild on Sunday in a game they need to win. If Edmonton doesn't leave this season-long nine game road trip with at least ten or eleven points, the shortened season may be too little too late for the Oilers to salvage.