Sometimes losing is a terrible experience. Sometimes losing hurts a team more than helps it. Tonight in St. Paul, the Oilers lost to the Wild, but it wasn't a loss. It was a win, sorta. There certainly was more positives than negatives from the game.

Positive #1 - Ales Hemsky woke up.
Been waiting for Hemsky to show up all season. He did about half way through the game. He almost scored twice, and he added some brilliant passing and corner work as well. The Wild were getting under his skin a bit, and a mad Hemsky is a motivated Hemsky. If that Hemsky showed up every game, I'd say the last thing the Oilers should do is ever trade him.

Positive #2 - Fans are getting the message and are getting angry.
Notice how on 4-on-4 chances when it was obvious the Oilers should put any combination of Hall, Eberle or Nugent-Hopkins on the ice, they instead put out Belanger or Lander with whoever? I was playing on Twitter, and fans, Edmonton-area media...everyone...was steaming and was voicing their opinion. Hey, Tom Renney needs some encouragement on this subject. He's not using those three players enough. If the score sheet at the end of the night doesn't reflect the need for change, everyone outside of the team has to sing the same song of revolt in hopes the team gets the message. I'm glad there is starting to be a backlash against the Oilers. It's about time.

Positive #3 - Khabby got pulled for Dubnyk
One of my pet peeves is that the Oilers don't pull goalies soon enough. Khabby let in two bad goals in a 19 second span. One was a shot he was completely out of position for. The other was one he missed completely. Both shots should have been stopped and it cost the Oilers the game. I'm not trying to rip on Khabibulin, because he's been more good than bad this season. The Oilers always seem scared to make a goalie change, and Dubnyk needs more ice time. Khabby is a temp; Dubnyk might be the future starter. Keep that in mind. The only reason I want Khabby to do well now is so the Oilers can unload him to Tampa before the trade deadline.

Positive #4 - Oilers got mad
I've watched too many unemotional Oiler games in recent years. When a team like Minnie wins because of a combination of bad officiating, hookin' and holdin', trap defense, lucky bounces and shenanigans, the Oilers players should be pissed. They came out flying in the third and hammered the Wild in every possible way. If the Oilers could play with emotion every game, they'd go back to playing .600+ hockey like they were at the start of the season. They have the talent; it's heart that is more questionable.

Positive #5 - The Defense is so obviously bad
This is again another lesson learned through negative results. Ladislav Smid was really good. Tom Gilbert made a few bonehead plays, but was mostly good. Corey Potter looked okay for most of the game too. Jeff Petry, Colten Teubert and Theo Peckham were awful. Eventually Ryan Whitney and Andy Sutton will be back, so we can delete two of the three bad D men from the roster. Is Cam Barker the missing link, or do the Oilers bite the bullet and deal for someone? As the Oilers continue to sink to the bottom, the concept of dealing to immediately improve makes no sense.

Positive #6 - Nail Yakupov is playing great at the WJHC
The only question I have when the Oilers finish last and draft 1st overall is, where exactly does Yakupov fit into the line-up? I would never tamper with Hall/Nuge/Eberle, but is Yakupov too good for the second line? We're not going to stick him with Horcoff, are we? Why do that to the boy?

Positive #7 - Darcy Hordichuk and Ben Eager did something
Hordichuk got his ass kicked, got off the ice, dusted himself off, and then let the Minnie player who beat him up the first time kick his ass again. Now that's team spirit! It was completely pointless and irrelevant to the outcome of the hockey game, but it kept my girlfriend, who likes fighting, well entertained.

Positive #8 - We don't have to see Minnie again until 2012/2013
I don't care if the Wild make the playoffs or miss it. I wish them good luck. The Oilers won't make the playoffs, but there's an upside to everything. Believe me when I say I'm thrilled I don't have to watch that boring team in the ugly jerseys again this season. I mean the Wild, not the Oilers. The Oilers might have the worst goal celebration song in the league, but that goofy Wild tune is a close second.

Like I said, lots of positives. Sam Gagner didn't get hurt, so that increases the chances we can deal him. Ditto Eric Belanger. Why are people so defensive of this guy? He wins face-offs; great. People keep saying to me, "but he's a good fourth line center". No. He was signed to be the third line center. He gets paid like a third-line center, and one who had 40 points last season, I may add. If he's a fourth line guy, please quit using him on the power-play and on 4-on-4's.

Oilers next action is against the New York Islanders, which is sort of like looking at yourself in the mirror when you think about it. If the Oilers can carry over their emotion and frustration level from this game to next, they could possibly win against the Islanders, who suck more than gravity.

Follow me on Twitter: @rdcloutier

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