Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers
10:00 PM ET, March 19, 2011
Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta
The Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche received some nice contributions from rookies in their last games, but the result was another loss for each of the two worst teams in the NHL.
As the Oilers try to end their losing streak at five Saturday night, the visiting Avalanche look to avoid their worst in more than two decades.
While Colorado (26-36-8) will be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with a regulation loss, Edmonton (23-39-9) is the only one to be officially out of the hunt with a league-worst 55 points.
Edmonton is missing leading scorers Sam Gagner, Taylor Hall and Ales Hemsky for the season due to injuries, so recent call-ups Teemu Hartikainen, Chris Vande Velde, Ryan O'Marra and Alexandre Giroux all saw action in Thursday's 3-1 loss to Phoenix and gave coach Tom Renney reason for optimism.
Vande Velde made his NHL debut as did Hartikainen, who assisted on Magnus Paajarvi's power-play goal.
"The guys played their guts out tonight," Renney said. "You can name any element of our game tonight and we tried. It doesn't always translate into what you want."
As the Oilers try to end their losing streak at five Saturday night, the visiting Avalanche look to avoid their worst in more than two decades.
While Colorado (26-36-8) will be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with a regulation loss, Edmonton (23-39-9) is the only one to be officially out of the hunt with a league-worst 55 points.
Edmonton is missing leading scorers Sam Gagner, Taylor Hall and Ales Hemsky for the season due to injuries, so recent call-ups Teemu Hartikainen, Chris Vande Velde, Ryan O'Marra and Alexandre Giroux all saw action in Thursday's 3-1 loss to Phoenix and gave coach Tom Renney reason for optimism.
Vande Velde made his NHL debut as did Hartikainen, who assisted on Magnus Paajarvi's power-play goal.
"The guys played their guts out tonight," Renney said. "You can name any element of our game tonight and we tried. It doesn't always translate into what you want."
Watch Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers Live Streaming Free March 19, 2011 NHL
