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Oilers visit Colorado without Hall

Mar 5, 2011 - 4:25 PM (Sports Network) - Despite owning the fewest points in the NHL, the Edmonton Oilers haven't been going down without a fight. That attitude may have cost the club one of its best players for the foreseeable future.

The Oilers are expected to be without Taylor Hall for tonight -- and the rest of the season -- as they kick off a five-game road trip against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center.

The top overall pick of the 2010 draft, Hall leads the Oilers with 22 goals through 65 games this season and is even with Ales Hemsky for the team lead in points with 42. He had a goal and an assist in Thursday's 4-2 win over Columbus, but suffered a left ankle injury during a fight that was part of his "Gordie Howe" hat trick.

Hall showed he won't be pushed around by the tough guys of the league when he tangled with the Blue Jackets' Derek Dorsett during the second period, but suffered his injury while falling to the ice at the end of the scuffle.

"It's bad luck that I had to leave the game because of the fight and all that kind of stuff, but I would probably do it again if I had to," Hall said.

The 19-year-old Hall was diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain, a setback which usually takes up to two months to fully heal.

"I'm obviously disappointed with the MRI results today, however I know this isn't going to slow me down," Hall said. "I'm hoping for a quick recovery and can hopefully get back on the ice soon and get ready for next season."

Edmonton is also without Ales Hemsky, who is expected to miss the next three weeks with a shoulder injury.

Sam Gagner and Jordan Eberle also scored in Thursday's win, while Devan Dubnyk made 26 saves as the Oilers won for the sixth time in nine games by ending a four-game homestand at 2-2. Shawn Horcoff notched two assists to give him 400 career points.

Edmonton will be aiming to snap a five-game road losing streak tonight and is 10-16-4 overall as the guest.

The Oilers are 2-0-1 this year versus the Avalanche, including a 5-1 victory at Colorado on Feb. 23 that featured a goal and an assist by both Hall and Eberle. Edmonton has won four of its last six in Denver.

That home loss to the Oilers was the start of the Avalanche's current 0-3-1 skid and Colorado has just one victory in its last 15 games. The latest setback came on Tuesday, a 2-1 shootout defeat in San Jose.

Erik Johnson scored an unassisted goal and Brian Elliott made 34 saves.

"It's almost laughable at this point," said Colorado forward Matt Duchene. "We work that hard, we play that well. With a team with that much offense and that many guys having great seasons, we hold them to no goals with four minutes left, and they find some way to score. That's pretty frustrating."

Colorado's 60 points leads only Edmonton's 52 in the Western Conference standings.

The Avalanche are expected to have Adam Foote back tonight after the defenseman sat out the last 11 games with a leg injury. He'll try to help Colorado snap a six-game slide at home and win at the Pepsi Center for the first time since Jan. 24.