By ROBIN BROWNLEE 

Heads or tails? 

It really doesn't matter to Sergei Zholtok, who has scored one goal in 42 games this season and none with the Edmonton Oilers since being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens Dec. 18. 

Zholtok hasn't scored in 19 games - since Nov. 25 against the Buffalo Sabres while still a member of the Canadiens - and he has just one assist in the 10 games he's played with the Oilers. 

"I'll take a goal off my head or off my ass right now," said Zholtok, who'll play left wing alongside Rem Murray and Daniel Cleary against the Nashville Predators tonight. 

"I have to go to the net and create traffic in front of the goalie and, hopefully, something is going to go in." 

After scoring a career-high 26 goals with the Canadiens last season, Zholtok hasn't had a sniff around the net, although he's certainly had his chances and hasn't played poorly since arriving in the one-for-one deal that sent Chad Kilger to Montreal. 

Still, close-but-no-cigar gets lame when you've gone as long without making the goal judge flinch as Zholtok has. 

"You can't let frustration take over you," Zholtok said. "That affects your game and the team, so it's no good. Obviously, I'm concerned, but you can't put too much pressure on yourself. 
"It's tough. It's never been like this for me. It's the biggest slump of my career. 

'`The bottom line is that I have to keep working hard and wait for it to come." 

Coach Craig MacTavish has moved Zholtok, who is a minus-15, from centre to the left side in an attempt to get him going. The next move, you would think, will be into the press box.