the Edmonton Oilers celebrate a third-period goal against the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday in Denver. (Reuters)
EDMONTON - The goal on the Great Brier Road Trip of 2013 was to ‘Bring ‘Em Back Alive.’
One thing for sure. If they hadn’t won the last two, becoming the first team to beat the Chicago Blackhawks at home in regulation and following up with a 4-0 win in Colorado Tuesday, they’d have shipped the Edmonton Oilers home with tags on their toes.
Now they come home on a two-game winning streak, three points south of a playoff position going into games Wednesday night, and the playoffs seem possible again.
But if this fragile team figures they’ve escaped desperation hockey time, they’d better think twice.
If the playoff line is 55 points, as many project, the Oilers would need to finish up 16-6-0 (or 15-5-2, 14-4-4, 13-3-6, 12-2-8 etc.) in their final 22 games to make the playoffs.
They have six more games at home than on the road.
They have 14 games left at home and eight on the road.
Right now the goal here shouldn’t so much be making the playoffs as staying
