Quick update from the Saddledome as the Oilers and Flames take to the ice tonight. It’s the final tuneup for the Flames, while the Oilers will take on Dallas on Sunday.

For the Flames, the flu bug continues to have an impact on the dressing room. Daymond Langkow, Dion Phaneuf, Matthew Lombardi, Anders Eriksson, Adam Pardy and Mikael Backlund will sit out tonight. Thus, the lines that we saw in morning skate will likely mean nothing. Expect Bertuzzi and Iginla to play together once again on the wings. Brandon Prust, Dustin Boyd and Rene Bourque will likely make up the second trio. Curtis Glencross, Craig Conroy and David Moss were together, as were Andre Roy, Wayne Primeau and Eric Nystrom. Expect Jamie Lundmark to draw in with Langkow out and fill in somewhere.

On the blueline, Rhett Warrener looks like he was a late addition to the lineup. Adam Pardy came off the ice early, but then went back out. Perhaps, one last chance for Rhett to make an empassioned plea to make this club.

Kiprusoff will go, backed up by Curtis M.

On the Oiler side, looks like no top line of Horcoff, Hemsky or Cole. No Souray on the back end either.

Rob Schremp – Gilbert Brule – Marc Pouliot
Robert Nilsson – Andrew Cogliano – Sam Gagner
Ethan Moreau – Fernando Pisani – Dustin Penner
Steve MacIntyre – Kyle Brodziak – Zach Stortini

Jason Strudwick – Taylor Chorney
Denis Grebeshkov – Tom Gilbert
Ladislav Smid – Steve Staios

Jeff Deslaurier gets the start, backed up by Roloson.

Sounds like there’s a big battle going on in Oiler camp. The team is expected to keep the three goalies (Deslaurier, Roloson and Mathieu Garon), which leaves one less spot for forwards and defencemen. Chorney, Theo Peckham, Mathieu Roy and Smid are battling for one job with the big club. Up front, Rob Schremp, Gilbert Brule, Pouliot and MacIntyre are in a fight for 2 jobs. Things apparently aren’t looking good for Smid, Roy, Schremp and MacIntyre. Make no mistake, this Oiler club will have plenty to fight for tonight.

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