Oilers 3 - 1 Canadiens
Final
  for this game

Edmonton tops Montreal

Nov 9, 2011 - 4:02 AM Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Nikolai Khabibulin made 28 saves and Ryan Smyth scored and added an assist, as Edmonton continued its extended road trip with a 3-1 victory over Montreal.

Khabibulin was outstanding, saving 24-of-25 shots in the final two periods, while Ryan Jones and Tom Gilbert helped the cause with goals for the Oilers, who have won seven of eight overall. Edmonton is currently on a six-game road trip.

"I felt pretty good. I think we are all playing well and that helps," said Khabibulin.

Max Pacioretty scored the lone goal for the Canadiens, who have lost two in a row after a four-game winning streak. Carey Price stopped 11-of-13 shots in defeat.

"Other things started going the other way, and so hopefully we can turn it around on the road," said Price.

Jones, without a goal in his last seven games, ended the drought with a short- handed tally early in the second period. He picked off a sloppy pass along the right boards in the neutral zone, darted to the front of the net and finished with a backhand through Price's five hole for the game's first goal.

Khabibulin was peppered in the second period to the tune of 13 shots, but he turned them all aside including a nifty save to his left on what could have been the equalizer.

Edmonton went up 2-0 when Gilbert's slapshot caromed off the stick of a Montreal defender and past Price at 16:28 of the third.

Montreal, however, returned the favor 22 seconds later, with Pacioretty wheeling through the neutral zone and slipping a backhand right through Khabibulin's legs.

Khabibulin made a clutch save nearing the one-minute mark to maintain the one- goal edge. He covered the puck with his pads, thwarting a rebound chance by several waiting Canadiens piled in the crease.

Montreal pulled Price to add the extra skater in the final seconds, and Edmonton made it pay with Smyth's empty-netter from the blue line that iced the contest.

Game Notes

Jones' short-handed tally was Edmonton's first of the season...Montreal finished 0-for-6 on the power play, while Edmonton missed out on its two chances...The Oilers also visit Boston, Detroit and Chicago on the trip...Edmonton has won three straight in the series and 11 of the past 16 meetings.






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