Edmonton, AB - The Oilers' game day began with a quick 20-minute morning skate at Rexall Place; and following a pair of call-ups Friday morning, new bodies emerged from the team's locker room, skating in preparation for tonight's battle with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Taylor Chorney, 24, and Colten Teubert, 21, are projected to be paired together as they both make their returns, donning the orange and blue for a second time this season.

Chorney was waived by the Oilers on Oct. 10 and was scooped up by the St. Louis Blues, but he was later re-waived and reacquired by the team that selected him 36th overall in 2005.

"It's been a crazy last six weeks traveling around," Chorney said. "I went to St. Louis for a bit and played a couple games, down to OK-City and now back here; but I'm happy to be here. This is where I want to be and this is the team I want to make it with, so I'm very excited to be back.

"I think I had hurt my knee a little bit in the pre-season and was idle for a bit," he added. "They wanted to get me going and play a lot of minutes down [in Oklahoma City] and get back on track because I was having a good camp."

It was a numbers issue as well. No. 41 has scored one goal and seven points in 58 career NHL games, in addition to an assist with the AHL's Barons in four games since the Oilers picked him up on Nov. 10. In struggling to earn a permanent spot on the Oilers' blueline, the 24-year-old understands that he needs to make the most of his latest opportunity.

"For sure," he agreed. "For a guy like me, guys getting hurt is how you get your opportunities; and that goes for a lot of guys here in and in this league.

"It's a great spot, a fun team and I'm going to make the best of it."

Head Coach Tom Renney agreed, adding that the organization didn't want to lose Chorney at all, but are equally as happy to have him back in orange and blue -- especially now .

"Internally, we were hoping he'd get through (waivers)," he said. "We're really happy to have him.

"If they keep the game simple, and that's a standard answer so I apologize, but that's what it will be," Renney added about Chorney and Teubert's assignments tonight. "Keep it simple, move the puck quickly, make direct passes when they're there and when they're not, get it out."

Teubert, who thrives in a simplistic, tough-as-nails role, couldn't agree more.

"It sucks for the guys who got hurt, but I'm going to take this opportunity. We've got to be solid tonight and really show that we belong here. The D's a little depleted, but [Chorney and I] are going to come and play solid and simple."

READY FOR HAWK HUNTING

Mired in a four-game losing skid, Renney will unveil some new line combinations, although they've yet to be dyed in the wool. In all likelihood, however, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Ryan Smyth will be on the same line, looking to rekindle some pre-season magic that worked so well against the very same Blackhawks in Saskatoon on Sep. 20.

RNH is primed for the assignment, but is more concerned with the Oilers' team game, as the club looks to snap the streak and develop a more well-rounded 60-minute effort.

"I think the past couple games we've been making too many turnovers, and we just need to play our game; play Oilers hockey," he said. "We can't be making turnovers against a team like this, because they're such a good counter-attack team that when you do turn the puck over, they're going to capitalize. 

"[Calgary] took it to them last night (winning 5-2). We can't sit back at all."

When the Oilers were riding high on a six-game winning streak a week ago, sitting atop the NHL's Northwest Division and Western Conference standings, there was so much talk about maintaining an even keel. Now the club is on the opposite end, but agree that a balance in mindset is required.

"We know that we need to be better and get back to our game," Nugent-Hopkins said. "We can't get too high when you're winning a couple games in a row and we can't get too low when we're going through some tough times.

"It's all about balance."

Jordan Eberle, who has recorded four goals and 13 points in 18 games this season, agreed. The 21-year-old notched a goal and an assist in last week's 6-3 loss to Chicago to wrap-up the team's six-game roadie, and his eager to get back on the scoresheet (and the win column) tonight.

"It's the opposite now," he said. "We can't get too low; we've got the get the positives and make sure we play to those. We've been going over video, seeing what we're wrong so we can correct those mistakes.

"It's tough coming over here and playing, as [the Blackhawks] have the back-to-back games. They know what it takes to win in those situations, so we've got to be ready to bring what they brought last week in Chicago. They're a high-octane team and if we turn the puck over, they're going to pounce and create chances; so we can't do that.

"We have to make sure we're putting pucks in the right spots and not allow them to counter-attack," he added. "It was a learning experience the last time we played these guys, so I'm sure we'll recover tonight and get the win."

Nikolai Khabibulin allowed three goals on seven shots Thursday night vs. Ottawa, but will pit his 7-3-2 record, 1.74 goals-against average and .937 save percentage up against a team he spent four seasons and 202 career games with.

Sam Gagner sat out Thursday's game with a sore back, but will draw back in tonight at Lennart Petrell's expense. - View Line Combinations

-- Ryan Dittrick, edmontonoilers.com - Follow me on Twitter | @ryandittrick

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