WHO GETS CALL IN NET?

Brossoit looks for reprieve

After Saturday’s rough ride in Calgary, Edmonton Oilers coach Todd McLellan wouldn’t say if goalie Laurent Brossoit is starting Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers at Rogers Place.

It can mean three things: 1. They’re looking elsewhere in a trade, such as for Buffalo backup Chad Johnson, who was good in Calgary last season but has poor numbers with the Sabres.

2. They may give Bakersfield farmhand Nick Ellis his first NHL game.

3. He’s just being cagey with the struggling Flyers coming to town. Probably door No. 3. When asked if he knew who was going to start against Philadelphia, McLellan said he didn’t know.

“We’ll get through practice tomorrow (Tuesday) and go from there,” he said.

That sounds kind of vague. Brossoit wasn’t ducking how poorly he played in the third period in Calgary with the Oilers up 6-1.

“You know what it came down to? I let my body cool off,” Brossoit told Sportsnet’s Mark Spector. “In a situation like that, where we take full control, I know next time to just be sure I’m ready to go both mentally and physically.”

Brossoit is easy to like. He’s forthright, has a sense of humour and he’s willing to stand in and answer tough questions.

How does the coaching staff raise Brossoit’s spirits after Saturday?

“The first thing is the relationship between that position and (goalie) coach Dustin Schwartz,” McLellan said. “They talk every day about the emotional and physical level needed to play that position, then you go into the technique breakdown.

“Rebuilding L.B. right now is one of our goals. It’s not like he’s completely broken but we have to make sure he gets some confidence and we created a number of practice drills today that would work on L.B.’s needs. Our downfall was a seven-minute span from 16 minutes left on the clock to nine (in the third period). Some of it had to do with L.B.’s focus in the net, other things went wrong on the ice that we can cure.”

CAPTAIN A GO

Oilers captain Connor McDavid missed Monday’s practice, still bothered by the flu even though he hasn’t missed a game and was outstanding in Calgary, especially in the first period.

“I don’t know if it’s the same bug he had (on the last road trip) but he’s got one,” McLellan said. “The flu going through Edmonton is going through the Oilers.

“(Ryan) Strome’s had it, (Eric) Gryba had it in Calgary. Unless he takes a turn for the worse, McDavid will play Wednesday.”

LOSING LARSSON

Out with an undisclosed upperbody injury, Adam Larsson is eligible to come off injured reserve and play Wednesday, but didn’t skate Monday.

“That’s not a positive sign,” McLellan said. “If he doesn’t practise Tuesday, it’s unlikely he’ll come off IR. One of the (health) factors you look at with a defenceman is, can he start the night and finish the night? You can’t shortstaff the back-end five minutes into a game.”

Sounds like he may be back Saturday against Montreal instead.

GAINING DAVIDSON

Brandon Davidson, picked up on waivers Sunday, was one of seven healthy defencemen on the ice Monday with Andrej Sekera also taking part in drills but still a few weeks away from returning.

“I haven’t quit smiling since I heard the news,” said the former Oilers player, traded to Montreal last Feb. 28 for David Desharnais. “This is my eighth year in this organization. This is home, this is where my comfort is, everything comes easy for me here.

“I lost my confidence (with the Canadiens).”

He played 13 games with Montreal this season.