Scoring Summary
1st Period
EDM Shawn Horcoff 2 (PP) (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Corey Potter) 5:38
2nd Period
STL David Backes 3 (Vladimir Sobotka, Roman Polak) 3:58
EDM Ryan Smyth 4 (Alex Plante, Ryan Jones) 7:31
EDM Jordan Eberle 3 (Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) 13:16
EDM Ryan Smyth 5 (PP) (Tom Gilbert, Jeff Petry) 17:15
3rd Period
STL Chris Stewart 3 (PP) (Alex Pietrangelo) 3:17
Penalty Summary
1st Period
5:14 St. Louis slashing - 2 min M. D'Agostini drawn by A. Lander
6:50 Edmonton interference - 2 min R. Jones drawn by J. Arnott
9:41 St. Louis holding - 2 min R. Polak drawn by J. Eberle
10:43 Edmonton high-sticking - 2 min R. Nugent-Hopkins drawn by C. Colaiacovo
15:04 St. Louis boarding - 2 min T. Oshie drawn by E. Belanger
2nd Period
16:18 St. Louis boarding - 2 min D. Backes drawn by T. Gilbert
3rd Period
1:56 Edmonton boarding - 2 min E. Belanger drawn by N. Nikitin
Shots On Goal - Oilers 30 Blues 30
Game Notes:
- It seems the structure has been set in place and in the process of being cemented. When players such as Jeff Petry and Alex Plante, along with Theo Peckham who has been a healthy scratch some games, come in and look like the players that they took the place of, you know things are starting to look good. The Oilers are 7-2-2 now, tied for first in the conference, and once again rode the goaltending of Khabibulin, and scoring from the checking line and the kid line. It was good enough to get another win tonight. The Blues tried to be physical early but the best remedy against physicality is to score on the power play, which is exactly what they did. After that the Blues did not bring a lot of physicality. So are the Oilers for real? I think so, the structure in their game is sound. The rinse and repeat part of it is through 11 games now and they have only given up 18 goals which is still an NHL best. The next big battle will be if they can take their show on the road and keep up the same style of play. The embark on a 6 game road trip and it starts on Thursday against the LA Kings. Concern from the lack of scoring from the 2nd line and 4th line may be a problem for some, but from this seat, I say just keep playing like they have been playing. Goals come and go, the 2nd line could use a tweak, nothing that can be done now until some personnel moves along, but the 4th line, to me, is totally fine. They battle their backsides off, and hem other teams in with their relentless forecheck, kudos to them for strong play tonight. I feel bad for Paajarvi and Gagner, they can't buy a goal right now, but they had endless chances tonight which is a step in the right direction. Good luck to the boys on the road trip, it was this time last year the team started to fall apart.
Player of the Game:
- Ryan Smyth - It took a Ryan Smyth type game to put this game away for the Oilers and they got it. Smyth did what he does best and that score big goals around the net, through taking a abuse but still getting stick on puck. Ryan Smyth's contribution to the team has been huge and has been felt all the way through the lineup. It's a feel good story to have him back on the Oilers and contributing like he never left.
Goat of the Game:
- Sam Gagner - Was one of two players that was -1 on the night. Sam Gagner seems to be out of sorts with all the other new toys on the team and is somewhat sturggling to find his place on the team. He had some good chances tonight, but is playing like a player with not a lot of confidence. He's kind of a round peg in a square hole. Ultimately, it will his spot that will be up for grabs when Ales Hemsky comes back.
Next Game - Thursday November 3, 2011 vs. Kings @ Los Angelas on Sportsnet West 8:30 PM MT.
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