For the next five days, Craig MacTavish's Edmonton Oilers will be in the national hockey spotlight, or at least the part of the spotlight that shines on the NHL's Western Conference. It is purely a question of mathematics too. The Oilers play the Vancouver Canucks three games in a row in a mini-playoff series that will go a long way in determining which team actually qualifies for the 2006 NHL playoffs... "Everybody not directly associated with it, is loving it," said MacTavish, "but I think it's a disadvantage right now for both teams. We're both fighting for our playoff lives. The one thing I like to see on the out-of-town scoreboard is when Anaheim's playing San Jose or L.A.'s playing Colorado, so you know you're going to get some help. All the other four teams in this battle are all licking their lips at this, while we cannibalize one another."