Game 53: Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames - Pengrowth Saddledome - January 30, 2010 - CBC 8pm Tonight, the Calgary Flames (26-20-8) host the Edmonton Oilers (16-30-6) at the Pengrowth Saddledome. Oddly enough, the Battle of Alberta was starting to lose its relevancy with the Oilers unable to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. However, with the Calgary Flames struggling with a record of 1-9-2 over their past 12 games, it looks like misery has company. The Oilers themselves are 0-10-2 as they head for a possible baker's dozen in terms of losses in Calgary. The Oilers will be besieged by Flames fans in Calgary as they were the last time these two teams played on New Year's eve (Game 41 Oilers vs. Flames). The Oilers lost the recent match by a score of 2-1, then went on to celebrate New Year's at the Osteria de Medici restaurant racking up an $18 thousand dollar bill in the process. Prior to that, the Oilers lost game 39 against the Flames by a score of 4-1. In short, they managed just one Bettman point in the other three games earlier this season against the Flames. That's a 0-4-1 record against the Flames who've subjugated them this entire season thus far. With word of the Fall 4 Hall hitting the mainstream media already, Oilers fans who were once ambivalent about their team winning or losing, have now jumped on board the top 2 draft pick bandwagon. True? For many... But hell, this is the Calgary Flames and the Oilers can still win this one and draft Taylor Hall. Better yet, the Oilers can take 2 points away from the Flames who're currently one point out of a playoff spot in 9th. Follow the jump for some Oilers/Flames life away from hockey photos... 
A Winter of Discontent at Pengrowth Saddledome Unfortunately, Oil is flammable and so have the Oilers been against the Flames this season. With the Battle of Alberta seemingly dead of late, this game has found some new meaning. For the Oilers, they have a chance to regain their dignity with a win against the Flames. What's more is that the Oilers have an opportunity to take two points from the Flames who are in dire need of them right now. No need to worry, the Oilers are a comfortable 5-points behind he Carolina Hurricanes, so they can afford the two-point consequence of a win tonight. For the Flames, they have a dismal 23rd ranked power play operating at just 16.3% efficiency. They're also slightly worse than the Oilers at winning faceoffs while ranked last in the league themselves at 47.1% (Oilers are 47.2%). The Flames are still 9th in the league at killing penalties at 83.1%. Despite getting outshot by 1.7 shots per game, they've still managed to outscore their opposition by .13 goals/game unlike the Oilers. David Moss and John Armsrong are both on the injured reserve for the Flames. This is the final match-up between the Oilers and Flames this season. 
The Oilers don't let losing get in the way of having a good time, why should their fans? The last time that the Oilers were in Calgary, they argued against what they thought was the obstreperous owner of Osteria de Medici for a 'bottle discount' for the $18 thousand dollars worth of alcohol they consumed (see discounted bill above). Speaking of discounts, I'm sure their owner, Daryl Katz, might be looking for one on their payroll this season given that they're in last place in the league by a comfortable five-point margin. Either way, there's a life lesson here to be learned here... Don't let the Oilers losing get in the way of having a good time. You lose, you booze? I think the Oilers have this one backwards... 
The Calgary Flames (Dion Phaneuf) probably don't let losing hockey games interfere with having fun either Mikka Kiprusoff might be lighting cigarettes in da club, but he himself was lit up by the San Jose Sharks on January 18th with 6 goals against. 
Right now, we both suck, but hey, only one team has their top-two picks... The Calgary Flames might be sitting out of a playoff spot today, but don't despair. They don't have their top-two picks for the 2010 draft since they dealt their first to Phoenix and their 2nd to Chicago. No wonder they can't beat the Blackhawks this season. 
Why Calgary can sign UFA's and we can't? (Oilers fan on the right) When the Pittsburgh Penguins strolled through Western Canada, they took two points from each the Oilers and the Flames along with some of their fans' dignity. 
Battle of Alberta - Who's hotter? The Battle of Alberta might be on life support, but the Battle of Alberta hotties is still going strong. Mike Comrie, boyfriend of Hilary Duff, recently returned to the Oilers' lineup while Dion Phaneuf who's dating Elisha Cuthbert has been caught signing Karaoke and singing the Piano man at the Aussie Rules restaurant in Calgary. Ladislav Smid might be out of the Oilers' lineup due to a concussion, but he's apparently in good hands with Amanda Vanderpool to take care of him. 
Edmonton Oilers Projected Lineup: Penner-Gagner-Nilsson
Moreau-Horcoff-Pisani
O'Sullivan-Potulny-Brule
Jacques-Pouliot-Cogliano Souray - Gilbert
Grebeshkov - Visnovsky
Strudwick - Chorney
Dubnyk Deslauriers
***Dan Tencer reported that Patrick O'Sullivan will play while Mike Comrie and Zack Stortini will sit.
Calgary Flames Projected Lineup: Lundmark - Jokinen - Iginla Boyd - Langkow - Bourque Glencross - Backlund - Nystrom
Sjorstrum - Prust - McGrattan
Regehr - Phaneuf Pardy - Giordano Bouwmeester -Sarich
Kiprusoff McElhinney
Random Humor - Because if you're not laughing right now, you're crying... Penicillin won't fix what ails the Calgary Flames either, well, at least I'm assuming that's not the reason why they've won a single game in their past 12...
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