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OIL SPILLS VIDEO INTERVIEWS Ryan Whitney, Theo Peckham, Sam Gagner - Head Coach Tom Renney comment following practice in Leduc Theo Peckham Head Coach Tom RenneyOilers This Week Today's media coverage Finally, after four days of non-game action in the books, it feels as though the wheels of the hockey season are in motion once again. Just prior to the team-s departure to San Jos foot ball game e, the Oilers participated in a 45-minute skate at the Leduc Recreation Centre; one final tune-up as Edmonton looks to carry over the momentum gained from a strong finish to the six-game homestand. Waiting to return to the game routine was painful for some. -Brutal,- said Head Coach Tom Renney of the extended layoff. -I guess we'll know tomorrow night. The guys get a chance to sort of regrou foot ball game p a little bit and kind of have some Christmas fun. That's all good, there's nothing wrong with that at all. The bottom line is that there are a number of days there where you're just not playing.- -As everyone here understands, we're certainly a work in progress and any time we don't get a chance to work at it through playing, that's one opportunity missed. I'm glad we're getting back on the b foot ball game ike here.- PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT expressed a different take on the matter. The 21-year old centre believes the extra practice time may help to correct bad habits and refine the positives. -I feel like the last couple days of practice have been good, and we're looking forward to going on this road trip here.- -We've had a good few days of practice here where we've gone over a lot of the things foot ball game that are going to make us successful going forward. If you look at the Columbus game, we could have just as easily been down after the first period. Because of that, we worked a lot on our defensive game and making sure we're breaking the puck out properly, getting the puck moving, and keeping the puck in their end.- BATTLE READY Ryan Whitney . -It seems like every time there, they get li foot ball game ke 15-20 shots in the first period and they come out hard. It's on us to get pucks in deep and be able to not give them momentum in the first period. - Fellow defenceman Theo Peckham The Oilers begin this pre-holiday road trip with a 6-3-1 record in the team-s last ten contests. One of the leading reasons for this impressive run has been the steady dose of offensive production from Sam Gagne foot ball game r went down with a knee injury, Gagner has stepped up in the role between Taylor Hall. Quite simply, he-s done an admirable job in relief. Gagner has now recorded ten points in his last ten games, as he continues to improve and develop chemistry with his linemates. -I feel like it's getting better,- Gagner said of the trio-s growth. -The first couple games there, I think we were kind of getting foot ball game used to each other and the way we play. All three of us like to carry the puck and have the puck on our stick, and the biggest thing for us is making sure we're always supporting each other and giving the puck up to get it back. We've been doing that the last little while here and getting better. - -I just want to keep improving with them.- Gagner also spoke of his leadership role with the foot ball game absence of veterans Shawn Horcoff. -I don't want to change much. At the end of the day, I just want to continue to keep improving. I feel that we've got a good team here and we're going to have a good team in the future. I think as a group, that's been our mindset all year -- to continue to get better.- Gagner isn-t the only Oiler who-s been recently enjoying a solid run of production and ch foot ball game emistry with his linemates. Defenceman Ryan Whitney . -It's been good. We're pretty vocal out there. The more you talk, the more it helps make a difference -- knowing where you are and knowing how much time you have with the puck. He's played 600 games, so he knows what it takes to make it easy on your partner.- -His first game back in a while, I just tried to keep it simple. Now that he' foot ball game s getting into more of a rhythm, you're able to kind of jump up into the play and maybe leave him back a little bit more. It depends on the situation of the game, the score and things like that.- -I feel good with him,- Whitney concluded. BRULE ABSENT was notably absent from this morning-s practice, as Renney later confirmed an illness had sidelined him for the time being. -Early this morning, foot ball game we got word that he was a little under the weather, so we've tried to keep him away from the troops. We'll see how he's doing in a few hours and take it from there.- It-s still unclear at this time whether or not Brule will join the team on its two-game swing this week. Author: Ryan Dittrick | edmontonoilers.com OIL SPILLS VIDEO INTERVIEWS Ralph Krueger's Thoughts Taylor Hall, Magnu foot ball game s Paajarvi, Gilbert Brule - Dustin Penner AUDIO INTERVIEWS Gilbert Brule Dustin Penner Taylor Hall RELATED ITEMS THE TEAM TODAY: Chemistry TestOilers This Week Today's media coverage Following a well deserved off-day Saturday, the Oilers returned to Rexall Place this morning for a lengthy practice that pushed the pace and helped to clear the monotony of a four-day break in bet foot ball game ween game action. With two tough assignments ahead on the pre-holiday horizon, the team skated for well over an hour as the coaching staff tinkered with various fundamental systems, including a lengthy portion spent on special teams. Both the powerplay and penalty kill received equal attention, as the importance of these areas will be put to the ultimate test against two excellent Western Confe foot ball game rence clubs. Although the break in between games came as a blessing, forward Dustin Penner agreed, and further commented on the team-s play leading up to the break. -It was a tough stretch, but I think we came out of it pretty good, though. We had a decent record during that time, but it's definitely nice to take some time off, just kind of regenerate and take some time away from the game. - foot ball game SHARK SIGHTING Dustin Penner Following Friday-s practice at Rexall Place, Head Coach Tom Renney surprised many with a bold remark regarding the team-s search for a playoff spot as we approach the midway point of the season: -It won't surprise me when we make the playoffs. It won't. The biggest surprise of all might be if we don't.- With Edmonton currently sitting 15th in the Western Conf foot ball game erence standings, there-s an uphill climb ahead; an eight-point gap and seven teams to overtake are the current realities, but the organization believes in that statement as the Oilers look to embark on a mid-season push. agrees that the bold claim is a realistic expectation. -We are where we are right now, obviously, in the standings, but we're definitely looking to fight our way back and we'r foot ball game e doing better as of late.- -I think you have to look at our last 15 games, we've improved so much compared to the first month-and-a-half of the season. We've come such a long way and we don't want to let that slide at all. We want to stay focused on what we've got to do there, and we've just been playing better team hockey.- INJURY NOTES and Jim Vandermeeruses, but both were pushing themsel foot ball game ves hard as they look to make a return in the near future. Oilers Injury Report In the latest edition of our fan question series, Amelia of Edmonton submitted a question for Jordan Eberle AMELIA: JORDAN: OIL SPILLS VIDEO INTERVIEWS Magnus Paajarvi, Nikolai Khabibulin - Dustin Penner comment following practice Head Coach Tom Renney AUDIO INTERVIEWS Magnus Paajarvi Dustin Penner foot ball game RELATED ITEMS Blue Jackets - Oilers Game Recap HEADLINES did not participate following his strong performance against the Blue Jackets. There was no word on Gilbert-s status following practice, but the assumption around the rink was that he was taking a maintenance day. As a result, Steve MacIntyre to round out the lines. There were no other changes to the lines and defensive pairings as foot ball game the Oilers look to continue working with a winning formula. SENSATIONAL SWEDES and Magnus Paajarvi, fresh off the excellent outing, says that the familiarity between the two has been a pleasant discovery. -It's hard to say. He's a skilled player and he's a really good passer. I just try to get open with my speed and so far it has been working out pretty well. We've got to just keep working. foot ball game - -We had a good game last night. Linus (Omark) played good and O'Marra played good, and hopefully we can keep playing together and keep playing some good hockey as well.- Paajarvi and Omark-s ongoing development of chemistry wasn-t an instantly created concoction. As Paajarvi explains, there-s a brief adjustment period for players coming over to a new league. -I think you have to adjust whe foot ball game n you come over [to North America] to be tougher and more gritty, especially in front of the net and in the crease.- -It is kind of different between Swedish and Canadian hockey for sure, but I think that has to do with the rink as well, with the bigger and smaller ice. It's different for sure.- While Head Coach Tom Renney is keen to offer compliments to the skill and execution of his player foot ball game s, he aims to keep an even keel as he believes more can be tapped from the sensational Swedes. -What I'd like to see Magnus (Paajarvi) do, quite honestly, is start to take the body,- said a passionate Renney. -Use his size and strength to access the front of the net, or use his size and strength to get in on the forecheck and start to finish checks on people. I haven't been adamant on him about th foot ball game at with him, but that will come.- -There will come a point in time where he's even more confident in his body to be able to play with that as part of his repertoire, too. That's important. And Linus, as much as you can, he uses his body anyway. That's good on both of those guys because it helps our team again.- KHABI-BRILLIANT Nikolai Khabibulin . The veteran stopped 37 shots in the vi foot ball game ctory and has now improved to 4-1-1 since his returning from his brief stint on the IR. -We're starting to play better and it makes it a lot easier on the goalies,- Khabibulin said of the recent efforts. -We're doing a better job in front of the net, we're not turning as many pucks over, we're not having as many odd-man rushes. It's all helping.- -When you get a lot of shots, you feel like y foot ball game ou're always in the game; and you feel the puck better and see the puck better.- -I think we're starting to play a lot better. It seems we're getting some order in our zone and between the lines, and overall I think it's just been better efforts. Everybody is playing with more confidence now.- Renney was also quick to compliment the superb play from his leader between the pipes. -What Khabi foot ball game likes to see is a team that works hard, both ways, and a team that really works hard to recover from mistakes. He's been outstanding that way, because he sees a group of people that are really working hard to improve in front of him. - -He does everything he can to help us get some wins.- ONE-ON-ONE. -If you could live the life of another Oilers player for a day, who would you choose and foot ball game why?- Taylor Hall -That's a really tough question! Maybe Ryan (Jones) or Magnus (Paajarvi). They're both pretty relaxed and laid back. They don't get too rattled up about anything, and I think I need to be more like that. It would be a lot of fun being in their shoes, I think.- Fill out the form on the right to submit a question for one of the Oilers. We will ask one of the submitted questio foot ball game ns after the next practice and will post the answer in the next Team Today. Author: Ryan Dittrick | edmontonoilers.com, with files from Tom Gazzola Author: Ryan Dittrick | edmontonoilers.com foot ball game
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