Happy frickin’ Friday to you. My day started out just peachy when I was dinged by the fuzz for speeding. They sure picked the perfect spot: Edmonton’s scenic 66th St and 36th Ave, just as you sped up the hill.

I have all the respect for the Police, and no doubt I was speeding, but this officer riled me up. I’ve been pulled over many times, and once I’m stopped I reach into the glove box and grab my insurance and registration. I believe in getting it over with as quick as possible.

So Mr. Patrolman knocks on the window, I power my window down and I’m greeted with this:

“Jason do you know you were going 81 in a 60 zone?”

I look up and have no clue who this guy is, but he knows my name. I do have the Kia logoed up with a TEAM 1260 logo, so it’s not hard to put two and two together.

Once he said my name he gave me a glimmer of hope that I might get off, or at least get a reduction. Nope, he just threw that out there to add insult to injury. I have no problem taking my lumps and paying the ticket, but next time, coppers, don’t tease with the possibility or a reduction.

As a side thought, I wonder how many guys have been let go with a warning after being pulled over for speeding, because almost every hot girl I know has had one freebie?

Even though he hasn’t played well to date, a team never wants their most skilled guy out of the lineup, but that’s the case tonight. Ales Hemsky is out with an undisclosed injury and Robert Nilsson will draw in.

Pat Quinn will put Mike Comrie on the left side, with Nilsson on the right of Shawn Horcoff. Horcoff left the morning skate and returned at the end, to try a different padding in his skates. Horcoff’s right foot is swollen after blocking a shot in Chicago, and the swelling is right where he ties up his skates. He was noticeably uncomfortable this morning, and admitted that it really bothers him to push off hard on his right foot.

Ken Lowe will be working to come up with something to relieve the pressure by game time.

Ethan Moreau, Andrew Cogliano and Zack Stortini will be another line, but after that it’s up in the air.

You could see JF Jacques with Sam Gagner and Patrick O’Sullivan, and Dustin Penner with Gilbert Brule and Ryan Stone. Or maybe Quinn puts Stone and Jacques with Gagner with the hope they have the same success as Moreau, Cogliano and Stortini.

Many wondered who would get hurt first, Marian Gaborik or Martin Havlat, and if you picked Havlat you are the winner. Gaborik did miss some preseason games, but he has been on fire in the regular season. Havlat has five points in five games for the Wild, but he wasn’t on the ice this morning, and word is he won’t play.

Petr Sykora also didn’t skate and is out.

The Wild only have 12 goals in five games so far and right now only Marek Zidlicky and Shane Hnidy are + players. Seven of their 12 goals have come on the powerplay, and once again the Wild’s special teams are both in the top ten.

Their PP is 6th at 28% and their PK is 9th at 83.3%, but they can’t score five-on-five.

Eric Belanger leads them with two goals and seven points, while Andrew Brunette has four goals and six points. The Wild only have four players with three or more points, while the Oilers have ten with 3+ points.

The Wild are 0-4 on the road so far, and the Oilers were talking about the importance of a good start tonight.

The Wild will dress both 6’7” Derek Boogaard, and 6’8” Johnny Scott, so Zack Stortini could have his hands full tonight.

For those of you in the OilersNation looking to take your involvement to the next level, I suggest entering the Team 1260 online hockey pool by clicking here. There are some great prizes to be won and as of writing this Robin Brownlee is in first place. Are you going to let him get away with that?