GDB XXVII: Seriously? On the road again?

Coming on the heels of the announcement that Ales Hemsky’s season was over, the Oilers put up a great effort against San Jose last night. It wasn’t the result I was hoping for, but in the words of Willis, "It could have been much worse."

So tonight we get into with the Canucks. We’re down a Czech and they’re up a Swede. Last week, Daniel Sedin re-joined the Canucks bench after missing 18 games because of a broken foot. Meanwhile, our team plays missing eight guys (a stat from TSN.ca says we’ve lost 154 man games 155 man games to injury. Not boy games, people. MAN games) and the rest of the team has been playing with scurvy. At least, that’s what I’ve been telling everyone who asks me why the Oilers aren’t so hot right now.

The Oilers have only won three of their last 10 games, and this is our first road game on a six-game stretch. It’s going to be key for the Oilers to, you know, go out there and TRY to win. No stupid mistakes, no own-zone flubs, nothing but perfect passes and scoring.

Easy, right?

The Canucks have won six of their last ten games. The Sedin sisters are back together, and have demanded that Canucks management install an Easy-Bake Oven in the locker room. Management has acquiesced to their demands.

And while the Canucks have two more wins on the season than us, they have guys hurting two. Granted it’s only about half as many. Shit, I’m depressing myself.

There’s something to be said for being mad as hell, though. And I know fans are. I can only imagine that the players are too — this isn’t the OIlers’ dream season some kool-aid drinkers had hoped it would be. If they aren’t pissed their missing Hemsky for the season, then they should be.

I got the impression from Strudwick’s interview last night that he didn’t want Hemsky’s injury to prove naysayers right: that the Oilers are screwed without the star player.

It’s step-up time, boys. And we have a lot of steps to get where we need to be.

3-1 for the good guys tonight.

Go Oilers!