Preparation for War #3- Guess who's back?

.....Khabi's back. Yes that is correct folks, for the first time since last November, team MVP Nikolai Khabibulin will appear in an Oilers uniform. He should be all nice and rested with no distractions right? What's that? He was charged and convicted with extreme DUI after being pulled over on Super Bowl Sunday? That's fine though, he already served his jail time right? What? He didn't because he appealed the conviction? Sigh.....


The Lines for Tonight

Taylor Hall (4) - Shawn Horcoff (10) - Jordan Eberle (14)
Dustin Penner (27) - Gilbert Brule (67) - Linus Omark (23)
Alexandre Giroux (12) - Jared Aulin (47) - Ben Ondrus (25)
Teemu Hartikainen (56) - Chris Vande Velde (54) - Zack Stortini (46)

Ryan Whitney (6) - Jeff Petry (58)
Jim Vandermeer (2) - Theo Peckham (49)
Jason Strudwick (43) - Johan Motin (39)

Nikolai Khabibulin (35)
Martin Gerber (29) 

My player to watch for tonight will be Chris Vande Velde, as I believe that he is entrenched in a battle with Andrew Cogliano for the position of 3rd line center. I know some of you Cogliano fans might not want to think about it but, I believe that if Cogliano can't figure out his face-offs at the NHL level then he will be sent down to Oklahoma City to master his craft there. It would make sense for not only the team but for Cogliano to do, why have a 3rd line center who can't win faceoffs? There can be a case made for putting Gilbert Brule at center, and Cogs at wing, except that Cogs is a player that prefers playing the middle of the ice. I know it's still pre-season and so on and so forth and I won't make a judgment for another week or so.

GOILERS!!!!