Oilers aim to end epic slide in Winnipeg
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(SportsNetwork.com) - Things can't get much lower for the Edmonton Oilers.
At least they hope.
The Oilers look to snap a 10-game winless streak and beat a Western Conference opponent for the first time this season on Wednesday night as they visit the Winnipeg Jets.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Edmonton has gone 0-7-3 since winning back-to-back road games against Buffalo and the New York Rangers on Nov. 7-9. The Oilers' current drought is their longest since they went 0-8-3 from March 8-31, 2011.
Even a supposed advantage worked against the Oilers on Monday, as Phoenix's Tobias Rider scored twice on the same Edmonton power play to key a 5-2 decision over the Oilers.
Jordan Eberle and Jeff Petry each scored for the Oilers, while Viktor Fasth allowed all five goals on 24 shots.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We feel pain, but there should be no feeling sorry for yourself. You should be scraping and clawing your way out of it," Edmonton coach Dallas Eakins said.
The setback dropped the Oilers to 0-12-3 versus the West this season and they have lost four times on the road during their current losing streak.
The Jets, meanwhile, return home after a 2-0-1 road trip of their own, winning the first two games of the trek before a 2-1 overtime setback to the Boston Bruins on Friday. Dougie Hamilton netted the winner 3:39 into OT.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dustin Byfuglien scored for Winnipeg, which got 36 saves from Michael Hutchinson.
"It's one of those things where you look down the road later on this season and it may have been a big point for us to pick up," said Hutchinson. "We played well and battled well tonight. To get one point is it a bit frustrating, you always want two, but at the same time it's better than getting none."
Winnipeg will play its next three at home and hopes to have forward Bryan Little in the lineup tonight after he exited the loss to the Bruins early in the third period after blocking a shot. Little is tied for the team lead with eight goals and ranks third on the club with 15 points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Forward Adam Lowry also is eligible to play for the Jets tonight. He served a one-game suspension on Friday for a hit from behind against Buffalo two nights earlier.
The Jets won two of three versus the Oilers last season.