Detroit Red Wings (4-4-2) at Edmonton Oilers (6-5-1), 9:30 p.m.

Sports Network | October 29, 2009

(Sports Network) - Poor play cost Red Wings netminder Chris Osgood time on the ice last regular season. The same thing is in danger of happening again.

Osgood is expected to be a spectator tonight in Detroit's contest against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place.

Though he posted a respectable 26-9-8 record last year, Osgood had a career- worst 3.09 goals-against average in 46 games (44 starts) and lost playing time down the stretch to Ty Conklin. Osgood returned to form in the postseason, though, going 15-8 with a 2.01 GAA in helping Detroit reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

The 36-year-old hasn't gotten 2009-10 off to a good start, going 3-2-2 with a 3.40 GAA in eight starts. He lasted just over seven minutes in Tuesday's clash with the Canucks, allowing two goals on four shots.

He was relieved by Jimmy Howard, who turned aside 20-of-22 shots faced in helping Detroit post a 5-4 victory. Howard is expected to get his first-ever start versus the Oilers tonight after earning his first victory since making his NHL debut on November 28, 2005.

"We haven't done a lot of winning here lately. We've been doing a lot of good things and haven't found a way to win," Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock said. "I thought it was a good step for Howard tonight, and good for our team."

Jason Williams had the game-winning goal late in the third and added an assist, while Pavel Datsyuk notched his first two goals of the season and a helper. Tomas Holmstrom added a goal and an assist for the Red Wings, who snapped a three-game losing streak and earned their first road win of the season (1-3-1).

Detroit, which plays the fourth contest of a five-game road trip, swept its four-game series with Edmonton last year and has won nine of the past 14 meetings. That includes a victory in three of its last four at Rexall Place.

The Oilers hope to take advantage of Howard's inexperience, as they bring a scoreless run of 141 minutes and 25 seconds into this battle. Edmonton has been shut out in back-to-back games on a three-game losing streak, including 3-0 by the Avalanche on Tuesday.

Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 31-of-33 shots for the Oilers, who have been outscored 10-2 over their slide.

"We had to come out harder, we weren't ready to match [the Avs'] intensity. All four lines, they're an extremely hard working team and think it shows," Oilers forward Shawn Horcoff said.

The Oilers, who are 5-2-1 at home this year, might be without Ladislav Smid after confirming the defenseman has been diagnosed with swine flu. He logged 19:47 of ice time in Tuesday's loss.

Khabibulin went 1-1-1 with a 2.68 GAA in four appearances versus the Red Wings last year and is 15-21-2 lifetime against them with four ties and a 3.18 GAA.