Oilers Raid D.C.

The Edmonton Oilers (20-18-3, 43 points, 6-4 in last 10) make a rare visit to our nation's capital tonight (7 p.m., CSN) and they're certainly not the same team that lost the 2005-06 Stanley Cup finals to the Carolina Hurricanes (who aren't exactly themselves these days either, but that's a topic for another day). Interestingly enough, Oilers forward Eric Cole (eight goals, 19 assists) was a member of that 'Canes squad.

The Caps (27-13-3, 57 points, 7-3 in last 10) have lost two straight and look to get back on track, which history points to happening. Only once since Bruce Boudreau became the Caps' coach (104 games) has the team lost as many as three consecutive games in regulation. Additionally, they've righted the ship after each of their two-game losing streaks this season by scoring five or more goals and winning the next game. The Caps also will get Sergei Fedorov (who will don the "A") and John Erskine back tonight.

The Oilers are averaging 2.71 goals per game (19th in the NHL), while the Caps are averaging 3.19 (sixth). The teams are pretty even in goals allowed (Caps 2.86, Oilers 2.95). However, the Caps have six players in double-figures in goals -- tops in the league. And only Philadelphia's Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne (47 goals) have combined for more goals than the Alexes (43).

Like the Caps, Edmonton gets a lot of scoring from their blueliners. In fact, the Oilers are one of only two teams (with San Jose) to place four blueliners among the league's top 45 scoring defensemen. In Edmonton's case, that's Sheldon Souray, Lubomir Visnovsky, Tom Gilbert and Denis Grebeshkov. Souray is tied for the team's goal-scoring lead with 12, but Ales Hemsky (10 goals, 25 assists) leads the team in points. Hemsky probably won't play tonight, though.

Ovechkin, as usual, leads the NHL in shots on goal (265) by a mile (no other player has 200). Despite the fact that he missed two games earlier this season, Ovie is on pace for 517 shots -- a career high but still not the league record (550, held by the venerable Phil Esposito).

Jose Theodore (14-7-1, 2.89 GAA, .895 sv%) and Dwayne Roloson (12-8-3, 2.64 GAA, .917 sv%) most likely will be in net tonight, but the Oilers' Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers gets major points for his name, of which he only uses a portion of on his jersey.

The Oilers' last win in the District came on Jan. 26, 1997 (the Caps have won six straight since). The Caps lead the all-time series, 29-25-6-0, and stand 19-9-2-0 at home. Last season (Jan. 17), the Caps beat the Oilers, 5-4, in a shootout. There have been three shutouts in the last seven overall meetings and seven of the red, white and blue's 13 losses this season have come against Western Conference teams (6-7-0).

Edmonton's 11 road wins are tied for fourth place in the NHL.

A blast from the past: Pete Peeters is the Oilers' goaltending coach. Peeters played for the Caps from 1985-89 (139 games), going 70-41-15 with a 3.06 GAA and seven shutouts.

Note: WNST's Ed Frankovic spoke to a scout yesterday who said there's been no buzz on the trade front involving the Caps. The scout also said (when asked) that there's zero interest in Shaone Morrisonn. Makes you wonder.