Lupul Living His Dream

Joffrey Lupul will live every Canadian kid’s fantasy tonight when he plays in his hometown for the first time as an NHL player. The arena he knew as Northlands Coliseum is now Rexall Place, but the Oilers’ Stanley Cup banners remain in the rafters and he’s eager to see them again.

“It’s something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” said Lupul, the Ducks’ first-round pick in 2002. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play there. My family had season tickets for a couple of years. It’ll be a real thrill.”

Lupul began the season with the Ducks, but his ice time dwindled as the team’s struggles worsened. He was scoreless in eight games before he was sent to minor-league Cincinnati Jan. 2, and he earned a ticket back Jan. 8 by scoring three goals and five points in three games.

“I made the best of it,” he said. “I went down with a good attitude and played hard every night and I was back before I knew it.”

With more than 20 friends and relatives in the stands tonight, he’ll feel at home.

“I was always a big Oiler fan, though I missed most of the really good years,” he said. “But I remember the last Stanley Cup [in 1990]. Just being there and stepping on the ice will be a good feeling.

“It’s actually the first time my two little brothers will get to see me play. I’m sure they’ll be pretty excited.”

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The Ducks’ 3-1 loss to Colorado Tuesday extended their winless streak to 0-4-3 and cost them a day off. Although they arrived in Edmonton early Wednesday, Coach Mike Babcock scheduled an afternoon practice.

“We’ve got to find a way to win a game and get going,” he said. “Eight points [from a playoff spot] is a long way out and it gets longer with each passing day. It’s not long when you’re on a roll, but it’s a long way when you’re not.”

While he hopes Tuesday’s players-only meeting will help, he’s reserving judgment.

“We have character. You don’t do what we did last year without character,” he said. “These guys take this very, very seriously. But after a while it’s not what you say, it’s what you do.”

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Winger Stanislav Chistov is questionable after injuring his left side in a collision Wednesday. “I think he’s fine,” Babcock said, “but we don’t know 100%”.... Dan Bylsma cleared waivers and will join Cincinnati.

TONIGHT

at Edmonton, 6 PST

Site -- Rexall Place.

Radio -- XPRS (1090).

Records -- Ducks 13-19-7-5, Oilers 17-19-7-1.

Record vs. Oilers -- 0-1.

Update -- The Oilers, four points ahead of the Ducks in the West playoff scramble, have won two of their last three games. Former Duck Adam Oates, who signed with the Oilers as a free agent in November, had two assists in Edmonton’s last game, a 4-2 victory over the Panthers.