Game 4 preview – Some new lines and no Souray

For the second time in as many weeks the Oilers will host the late game on Hockey Night In Canada. But don’t get used to it Oiler fans, it’ll only happen another two times in the remaining 26 weeks of the season.

In an effort to spark the offense the Oilers are making some changes to the line combinations up front. From the Oilers website it looks like the combinations to start tonight will be:

Jacques – Horcoff – Hemsky
O’Sullivan – Gagner – Stone
Penner – Brule – Comrie
Moreau – Cogliano – Stortini

I like the idea of making some changes, I’m a little shocked that the top line wasn’t shuffled though. Hemsky especially hasn’t been on top of his game yet this year. This team will only go as far as he takes them and right now that doesn’t look like a place I want to go.

From the Edmonton Journal it looks like Souray, who is still recovering from a concussion suffered on Thursday, will miss the game tonight and will be replaced by Staios who sat out on Thursday will a concussion of his own. If I was a Montreal fan I would love this – take out one of the teams best defencemen and weaken the power play at the time, and replace him with a bottom pairing player. Since I’m not a Montreal fan I’m not all that happy.

Right now the word about Souray is that the injury is day to day. Hopefully he’ll be back for the game in Nashville on Monday night,if not the Oilers are going to need Grebeshkov to step up and help fill the offensive void. He can’t match Souray’s physical game but he does have the offensive flair to help off set his loss somewhat. Hopefully I see some of that tonight.