Post Game: Game #22 Oilers 5 Wild 2

Scoring Summary
1st Period
EDM Ryan Smyth 12 (Jordan Eberle, Theo Peckham) 5:15

EDM Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 9 (PP) (Sam Gagner, Eric Belanger) 16:29

MIN Devin Setoguchi 7 (PP) (Mikko Koivu, Jared Spurgeon) 19:50


2nd Period
MIN Pierre-Marc Bouchard 2 (Unassisted) 9:00

EDM Taylor Hall 7 (Tom Gilbert, Shawn Horcoff) 15:29


3rd Period
EDM Shawn Horcoff 7 (Ales Hemsky, Taylor Hall) 7:28

EDM Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 10 (EN) (Jordan Eberle, Ryan Smyth) 18:37

Penalty Summary
1st Period
6:35 Minnesota interference - 2 min B. Staubitz drawn by D. Hordichuk
6:35 Minnesota roughing - 2 min B. Staubitz drawn by D. Hordichuk
14:51 Minnesota roughing - 2 min B. Staubitz drawn by D. Hordichuk
14:51 Minnesota cross checking - 2 min B. Staubitz drawn by D. Hordichuk
18:13 Edmonton slashing - 2 min S. Gagner drawn by D. Powe
19:20 Edmonton cross checking - 2 min T. Peckham drawn by D. Heatley

2nd Period
19:34 Edmonton interference - 2 min T. Gilbert drawn by K. Brodziak

3rd Period
3:50 Edmonton hooking - 2 min D. Hordichuk drawn by B. Staubitz

Shots On Goal - Oilers 29 Wild 32

Game Notes:
- The Oilers broke the curse by putting in a full 60 minute, team effort. Everyone played their role well and they scored timely goals. Once again, scoring first let them get the upper hand that they never relinquished. These Oilers are finding great comfort in playing with a lead, something you don't see out of young teams. The Oilers kept the Wild from running them out of the building by matching them hit for hit and gaining the upper hand in the gamesmanship. Hordichuk and Staubitz were after each other all first period, which really set the tone for the rest of the game. The kids had themselves another nice game. RNH, Eberle and Hall had 2 points each. Really setting the pace offensively for the Oilers. Khabibulin was solid all game, only goals he was beaten on were from a 5 on 3 and an RNH giveaway that put Bouchard on a breakaway. Otherwise it was a flawless game from him and the team. Solid win for the Oilers to break the Minny curse and now they have won 2 of 3 in this road trip, finishing up in Colorado tomorrow night.

Player of the Game:
- Shawn Horcoff. Horcoff scored the 4th goal that essentially wrapped up the game. It was a big goal at the time. Horcoff has had himself a nice road trip thus far. Horcoff was the only Oiler that won more than 3 faceoffs today by winning 8. The Oilers lost the majority of the faceoffs today. Horcoff is a good support player for Hemsky and Hall while they do their thing.

Goat of the Game:
- Anton Lander. The game was pretty flawless outside of RNH's gaffe but he made up for it with 2 goals. Lander had a pretty uneventful game. No shots, no hits, 0/7 on the dot. I do think Lander and Paajarvi should not have been broken up in favor of Petrell, but I think Renney wants a nice rotation where no one goes stale in the pressbox, especially considering back to back games. Lander wasn't terrible, but he didn't bring a lot when everyone else was bringing plenty.

Next Game - Saturday November 26, 2011 vs. Avalanche @ Colorado on CBC 5 PM MT