Edmonton Oilers

Head coach Pat Quinn is reaching his wits' end with the lethargic and slumping Oilers. They're 3-9-2 in their last 14 games and were humiliated Saturday by the Chicago Blackhawks.

"We have some guys who didn't play very hard," said head Quinn. "Early on in the game they outworked us, they out-willed us. We have a lot of skill, but skill hasn't won squat for us.

"Did we get out-skilled? No, we got outworked, that's what happened."

The Oilers are 12th and sinking, and the problems seem to be things you can't teach -- heart and character, two qualities the Oilers haven't shown much of this season.

"The one thing you don't want to see is your team playing in fear. Then they're playing like lambs instead of lions," said Quinn. "You can go on the street and get lambs."

BLACKHAWKS 5, OILERS 2: The Oilers were hopelessly outworked and even more hopelessly out-skilled in a loss that flattered them to no end. They seemed almost afraid to touch the puck in a game that amounted to a series of Chicago line rushes. While Chicago's best guys, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, scored twice each, Edmonton's best player, Ales Hemsky, didn't have a single shot on net.

• G Nikolai Khabibulin came up with a sore back hours before Edmonton's Saturday night game with the Chicago Blackhawks, forcing backup Jeff Deslauriers into action. The Oilers then had to sign junior goalie Torrie Jung of the Edmonton Oil Kings to a one-day contract so he could sit on the bench as an emergency backup.

• Star winger Ales Hemsky is not immune to the whip. He got a big scolding Friday in practice from associate coach Tom Renney for not focusing during drills. "Yes they have great talent, but you know what? We've missed the playoffs three bloody years in a row and five of the last eight years," said head coach Pat Quinn. "So at the end of the day you have to start saying talent is what? Talent is part of it, but we need a bigger package. How do you get a bigger package? You ask people to work."

Quote To Note:

"The message has definitely been sent."

—D Tom Gilbert, after being benched for the final two periods Thursday against Colorado.

Goaltenders:

Jeff Deslauriers, Torrie Jung.

Defensemen:

Tom Gilbert, Sheldon Souray, Steve Staios, Lubomir Visnovsky, Ladislav Smid, Jason Strudwick.

First Line:

Dustin Penner, Shawn Horcoff, Ales Hemsky.

Second Line:

Liam Reddox, Gilbert Brule, Patrick O'Sullivan.

Third Line:

JF Jacques, Sam Gagner, Zack Stortini.

Fourth Line:

Ethan Moreau, Andrew Cogliano, Ryan Potulny.

Player Notes:

• LW JF Jacques, who'd been out seven games with a sore back, brought some of what Edmonton's been missing in his absence, throwing two big hits in the first 10 seconds of his first shift back Saturday. "He finishes his checks and that's a good asset for us," said Pat Quinn.

• LW Liam Reddox, who's won over another coaching staff with his hard, gritty work and attention to detail, feared the worst when he limped in for an X-ray on his foot Thursday. He took a shot on the laces and the foot ballooned in him when he took the boot off after the game. The X-rays were negative, so a few anti-inflammatories and some ice set things right. "I was really worried about it," said Reddox. "I don't want to be out of the lineup. Our line has a good thing going, I didn't want to be taken out of the mix and have to work my way back up here."

• D Tom Gilbert got the wakeup call. Head coach Pat Quinn benched him for the final two periods against Colorado and then took him to the verbal woodshed afterwards. "I'll just be a little tougher around the net," said Gilbert. "It's definitely not fun sitting on the bench, watching your team play out there. The last couple of games there's a lot of plays I'd like to get back, be a little better, be a little tougher."

• G Nikolai Khabibulin, who had started 18 of Edmonton's first 22 games, is now down with back spasms. It's not certain how long he'll be out.

Medical Watch:

• C Marc Pouliot (sports hernia surgery) was injured Sept 23 and is out till early January.

• LW Ryan Stone (knee) was injured Oct. 20 and is day to day.

• LW JF Jacques (shoulder) was injured Nov. 3 and is listed as day to day.

• D Taylor Chorney (ankle) was injured Nov. 8 and is listed as day to day.

• LW Robert Nilsson (concussion) was injured Nov. 8 and is listed as day to day.

• RW Fernando Pisani (colitis) became ill Nov. 13 and out indefinitely.

• D Denis Grebeshov (knee) was injured Nov. 13 and is out until mid December.

• G Nikolai Khabibulin (back) was injured Nov. 21 and is day to day.