Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers will be relying on rookie goaltender Jeff Deslauriers to carry the load while Nikolai Khabibulin nurses a bad back.

Nobody knows how long Khabibulin will be out or whether this will be a season-long recurring problem, but he's not even practicing yet.

"Jeff is going to be our guy for a bit, 'til we get Khabby back," said head coach Pat Quinn, whose club has back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday (San Jose and Vancouver).

"I don't know how long this is going to last, so (Deslauriers) gets the games."

He's already played three in a row since Khabibulin went down, losing 5-2 to Chicago, shutting out Phoenix and losing 3-1 to Los Angeles. He's hot and cold, and with only 16 NHL games to his credit, he doesn't have a lot of experience from which to draw.

"I'm day to day right now," Deslauriers said of his starting status.

"I prepared in the summer and worked hard in training camp. I wanted to have more responsibility than last year. Now I have more minutes, more games. I have to go in there and show them that they can trust me."

KINGS 3, OILERS 1: The Oilers couldn't generate much offensively, going long stretches at a time without a shot, and broke down defensively on the winning goal. RW Ales Hemsky left the game midway through the second period with a possible shoulder injury.

• The Oilers lost another one of their top guys Wednesday when RW Ales Hemsky left the game midway through the second period after being hit from behind by Michal Handzus. It looked like a shoulder injury, but the Oilers wouldn't confirm that. He'll be re-evaluated Thursday.

• Edmonton's loss on Wednesday meant a failed attempt to win two games in a row for the first time in five weeks. The Oilers are clinging to 12th place by a thread and are well aware that the season could slip away from them for good. "We're going to have to pick our play up again," said D Sheldon Souray. "I mean, it's tough to get anywhere with one step forward one step back."

• D Sheldon Souray has six points in six games since returning from a month on the sidelines with a concussion. He has been Edmonton's on- and off-ice leader this season, as well as the key to its power play. He's one of the few players on the team who'd rather shoot than pass.

Quote To Note:

"It wasn't a terrific hockey game by any measure, but they're going home with two points and we're sucking wind."

Goaltenders:

Jeff Deslauriers, Devan Dubnyk.

Defensemen:

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

First Line:

Dustin Penner, Sam Gagner, Ales Hemsky.

Second Line:

JF Jacques, Shawn Horcoff, Gilbert Brule.

Third Line:

Liam Reddox, Patrick O'Sullivan, Zack Stortini.

Fourth Line:

Ethan Moreau, Andrew Cogliano, Ryan Potulny.

Player Notes:

• C Marc Pouliot, who has been out all season after undergoing sports hernia surgery, took his first skate Wednesday morning. He is still two weeks away from being game ready, and at that point they'll decide whether his first few games will be in the AHL or NHL.

• C Ryan Stone was hoping to be ready by now but is still feeling pain in the knee he had scoped. He's doubtful for the next few games.

• LW Robert Nilsson, who's been out since Nov. 8 with a concussion, will visit the doctor Thursday in the hopes of getting a final clearance to play. Then it'll be up to head coach Pat Quinn to decide if adding Nilsson will give Edmonton a better chance to win than somebody who's already in there.

Medical Watch:

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

• LW Ryan Stone (knee) was injured Oct. 20 and is doubtful for the next few games.

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

• LW Robert Nilsson (concussion) was injured Nov. 8 and could get clearance Thursday to play.

• 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.