"What was supposed to be a competitive contest between the 28th and 29th ranked clubs in the NHL looked more like a contest between a knee and a groin Friday night.

Not that Anaheim's knee had very much to aim at on an Oilers team that needn't have bothered with jock straps in the most glaring display of resignation Rexall Place has witnessed in a long, long time.

The Oilers looked like they have accepted that they're not good enough, accepted that they're not strong enough, accepted that they're going to be a lottery team, accepted that they were going to lose badly at home.

"I don't see any ice bags in there, I don't see guys sore from gutting it out to do everything possible to win a hockey game," said head coach Tom Renney after the 5-0 defeat. "I'm not sure what they (Anaheim) did that was so spectacular. We were just brutal.

"We had a lot of guys take the out."

No wonder they were booed off their own ice from fans who've been conditioned by ownership and management here to accept crappy teams, but not crappy teams that quit.

"It's an amazing fans base and they have every right to be discouraged," said Andy Sutton. "I don't think it's about the loss, it's how you lose and we didn't lose well (Friday night). They have every right to feel that way."

It was the low point in a season heading straight down hill.

Edmonton's won just three times in their last 17 starts and have scored two goals in their last three games.

You don't need Mike Cammalleri to tell you what the Oilers are all about right now."