COYOTES AT OILERS

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- 7 p.m.

- Pay per view

- 630 CHED

RECORDS: Oilers 9-11-3 Coyotes 13-9-1

SEASON SERIES:

Jan. 5: Phoenix at Edmonton

Feb. 8: Edmonton at Phoenix

April 3: Edmonton at Phoenix

Storyline

There's no time like the present for the Edmonton Oilers to put the past behind them.

After a humbling 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, the Oilers will resume their homestand in what is the opening installment of this season's set against the Coyotes.

The Coyotes may be on financial life-support, but they are holding their own in the upper half of the Western Conference standings. After a 2-5 slump, they have rallied to pick up five points in their last three games.

"We'll get back on track (tonight) and get some confidence and turn it into a three-or four-game winning streak," Oilers captain Ethan Moreau said. "That's our plan."

The other side

Coyotes top line: Scottie Upshall-Matthew Lombardi-Shane Doan.

Top point getters: Doan sits atop the leaderboard with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists). Right behind him is defenceman Ed Jovanovski (5-8-13) who has missed the last seven games with a lower-body injury. He did travel, but is questionable.

Did you know? Part 1

With their 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, the Coyotes have won 10 games in which they've scored three or fewer goals. That puts them on par with the New Jersey Devils. They have scored four or more goals only three times this season, but not once in their last 12 games.

Did you know? Part 2

The Coyotes have killed 14 straight power plays ... They have lost four straight games at Rexall.

Facing the music

Time will heal Shawn Horcoff's sprained shoulder, but time is something he doesn't have. So he will continue to forgo as many faceoffs as possible.

"It's frustrating because I enjoy taking those draws," he said. "But it was starting to feel a little better the other night and I tried--and it's just not there. There's just so much stress on the joint. The good news is that, other than that part of the game, I'm fine. It's just that one movement away from the body."

The Oilers won 47 per cent of their draws on Saturday. The game before that, it was 39 per cent.

"We struggle in the first place," associate coach Tom Renney said. "You just can't hinge on one guy.

"You see us work on it every day but that being said, we have to be better--and that's mind over matter."

From the infirmary

Defenceman Taylor Chorney skated on Sunday and says he is making progress with his ankle injury. Out in full gear for a workout was Robert Nilsson, who has been sidelined by a concussion.