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Oilers solve Ducks, end six-game slide

Nov 22, 2010 - 5:22 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Ales Hemsky scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and Devan Dubnyk made 38 saves, helping Edmonton snap several losing streaks with a 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks.

The Oilers entered the game on a six-game skid, and had lost eight of their last nine overall. They also had dropped their last five games against the Ducks, but Hemsky's tally was the difference after Edmonton blew a two-goal lead.

Taylor Hall and Sam Gagner also scored for the Oilers, while Dustin Penner added two assists.

Bobby Ryan and Saku Koivu scored 22 seconds apart for the Ducks, whose losing streak reached five games. Jonas Hiller allowed three goals on 25 shots.

"Getting 40 shots isn't relevant if you're just taking shots from the boards and the blue line," said Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf. "We're not doing a good enough job of getting pucks and people there."

Past the midway point of the third period, the Oilers brought the puck up-ice on a rush. Penner drifted a pass to Hemsky on the right side of the ice, and Hemsky used his speed to put a wrister past Hiller with 6:31 left.

Dubnyk made eight saves in the period to seal the victory, and Tom Gilbert was credited with an empty-net score in the final minute.

"It was 2-2 going into the third period, on the road, is fine by us," Dubnyk said. "It was great to see that we continued to push forward and didn't sit back. We had more than a few chances to score in the third period and we got the goal that we needed."

Dubnyk had to make 19 saves in a scoreless first period, while Hiller needed to stop only four.

Gagner got Edmonton on the board shortly into the second, after a faceoff in the left circle. Hemsky skated behind the net with the puck and stopped there for a moment, then shot a pass out front on the left side. Gagner stood there waiting and one-timed the puck in at 6:48.

Less than two minutes later, the Oilers pressed on a 3-on-2 rush. Hall skated on the left wing of the attack and accepted a pass from Ryan Whitney near the circle. He uncorked a shot that appeared to deflect off the stick of a Ducks defenseman before getting by Hiller.

But the 2-0 lead vanished later in the period. With Anaheim on the power play, Cam Fowler blasted a shot from the left point and Ryan managed to get his stick on it in the slot. The sharp re-direct beat Dubnyk with 3:27 left.

The Ducks were back on the attack after the re-start, and Jason Blake chased down the puck behind the goal line. Blake sent the puck to Dan Sexton on the right side, and Sexton's cross-crease pass was deflected by an Oilers player before getting to Koivu by the left post. Koivu couldn't handle the puck at first, but gained control and scored on a backhander to even the game.

Game Notes

Edmonton took its first win in Anaheim since March 27, 2009...Whitney increased his team-best point total to 17, all of which are assists...Hiller is 0-3-1 in his last four starts.