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Penner scores game-winner as Oilers win in OT

Dec 2, 2010 - 3:22 AM Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Dustin Penner netted the game-winning goal with 2:32 left in overtime, as the Edmonton Oilers rallied to beat the Montreal Canadiens, 4-3, at the Bell Centre.

Ales Hemsky, back in the Edmonton lineup after missing three games with a groin injury, and Sam Gagner scored 3:08 apart in the third period to erase a two-goal deficit.

In the extra session, Penner forced a turnover in the neutral zone and beat Montreal's Carey Price on the breakaway, slipping a backhander between the goaltender's pads.

Kurtis Foster added a power-play goal for the Oilers, who won back-to-back games for the first time since opening the season with consecutive wins over Calgary and Florida. Edmonton began its three-game road trip with Monday's 4-1 triumph over Ottawa.

Devan Dubnyk made 36 saves in the win.

Roman Hamrlik and Mathieu Darche both registered a goal and an assist for the Northeast Division-leading Canadiens. Price stopped 28 shots.

Hemsky found a loose puck amid a goal-mouth scramble and pushed it behind Price at the 10:09 mark of the third period.

Moments later, Edmonton captain Shawn Horcoff went off for high-sticking, but Gagner pulled the Oilers even with a shorthanded goal, snapping a shot that beat Price high on the short side at 13:17.

"Because of the adversity we faced during the game, we could have quit when Price made a couple of big saves on us. But we stuck with it," Penner said.

The teams traded power-play goals in the first period.

A fortuitous carom staked Montreal to a 1-0 lead as Scott Gomez's pass to Darche driving to the net deflected in off the stick of Edmonton defenseman Ryan Whitney at 13:05.

Foster's one-timer from the top of the left circle tied the game with 2:15 remaining.

The Canadiens struck twice in a two-minute span in the middle session to grab a 3-1 lead.

First, on another power play, Darche found the net after Michael Cammalleri fired the rebound of a Hamrlik shot off the crossbar.

Hamrlik recorded the secondary assist for his 600th career point, then potted his 150th career goal midway through the frame.

"It's not good to lose when you're up 3-1 in the third," Cammalleri said.

Game Notes

The Oilers had lost three straight at Montreal...Price was named the NHL's second star for the month of November...Canadiens defenseman Jaroslav Spacek played in his 800th career game...Nikolai Khabibulin dressed as Dubnyk's backup against Montreal. The veteran goaltender missed the previous six games with a groin problem...The Oilers assigned netminder Martin Gerber to Oklahoma City of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. Gerber won both of his starts with Edmonton, posting a 1.50 GAA and .950 save percentage...The Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes were honored in a pregame ceremony.