Oilers wrap up home stand against Nashville

Nashville Predators vs Edmonton Oilers 1-2 (0-1, 0-1, 1-0)

Teemu Hartikainen slotted in on the second line between Cogliano and O'Sullivan as he did against the Red Wings, playing only his second NHL game ever. Nashville were 9th before this game, sitting at 24 points from a 11-11-2 record. Edmonton had leaped up to 4th with their win against Colorado, sneaking up on Northwest Division leaders Vancouver Canucks.

Edmonton started off with some unusual disciplinary issues, seeing Babchuk, Gilbert, Yonkman and O'Sullivan take successive penalties. Without supreme penalty killer Brooks Laich in the lineup the task of keeping out the Predators looked difficult, yet players like Stone, Falardeau and Moreau stepped up to fill Laich's void. Indeed, the pattern of this season repeated, as Visnovsky added a late go-ahead goal for the home team, scored on the power play.

Underrated winger Greg Moore made it 2-0 just after the break, coming in off the wing to receive a well timed pass from Sam Gagner, who had overstayed his shift somewhat. The second intermission arrived without any sign of Nashville's offensive players.

The Oilers kept insisting, however, to allow the Predators back into the game by giving up power plays. Nashville's bids for a goal had all been denied until Steve Sullivan finally put one behind Khabibulin from a Miro Satan pass. It was too late, though, and Edmonton reached safe harbour without much damage, taking away 2 points from a close game.

Post game: "We did not play a very good game, yet got the win. What that says is that we have work to do to improve" concluded head coach Constantine after seeing his team put Nashville away. Teemu Hartikainen was largely unimpressive and unable to follow up his great debut, but to his defense that mirrored most Oilers forwards this game. Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin registered his 15 win in only 20 games this season, a quite remarkable performance from the veteran. His save percentage now stands at 91%, on top of a 2.54 GAA and a lone shutout.


Scoreboard
1st Period:
EDM - Visnovsky (Gagner) PP

2nd Period:
EDM - Moore (Gagner, O'Sullivan) PP

3rd Period:
NSH - Sullivan (Satan, Arnott)


Injuries/Misconducts/Etc.
-

Lines:
Penner - Gagner - Hemsky
Cogliano - Hartikainen - O'Sullivan
Axelsson - Stone - Moore
Moreau - Falardeau - Brule

Babchuk - Visnovsky
Smid - Gilbert
Grebeshkov - Yonkman


Khabibulin
(Hiller)