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Late goal lifts Oilers in season opener

Oct 13, 2008 - 4:27 AM EDMONTON, Alberta (Ticker) -- The wait proved to be worth it for the Edmonton Oilers.

Dustin Penner scored a pair of goals - including the game-winner with six seconds remaining - as the Oilers recorded a 3-2 triumph over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

Shawn Horcoff also tallied and Ethan Moreau had two assists for Edmonton, which was the last team in the league to start the 2008-09 campaign.

With the score tied at 2-2 in the waning moments of the third period, Moreau wristed a shot on net from the left point which Penner deflected between the pads of Peter Budaj.

"The puck ended up on (Moreau's) stick and he threw it on net, and I was just in the right place at the right time," Penner said. "It was very lucky but sometimes you can increase your luck by going to the right place.

"We were well-rested, maybe too well-rested. We were a bit sluggish at times but it was nice to pull it out in the end."

Colorado had evened the score exactly midway through the third period after Milan Hejduk scored on a penalty shot, beating goaltender Mathieu Garon with a wrist shot to the blocker side.

The loss was particularly disappointing for the Avalanche, who outshot the Oilers, 33-19, and hit four goalposts - three in the second period alone. Colorado also outshot Boston, 39-20, in a 5-4 loss in its season opener on Thursday.

"Garon played well, made key saves at the right time but we have to capitalize on chances," Avalanche left wing Ryan Smyth said. "Giving up a late goal like that with five seconds to go, that's tough to swallow."

Horcoff opened the scoring with a power-play goal just 6:59 into the first period and Joe Sakic evened the score with 8:45 left in the second. Sakic had a goal disallowed in the first when replays showed that the net was dislodged before the puck crossed the line.

Penner put Edmonton back in front less than six minutes into third period, scoring on a wraparound when his shot deflected off a defenseman's skate and between Budaj's pads.

"The one thing we did do was get the puck to the net," Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said. "That's how you get fortunate, you get pucks to the net."

Budaj made 16 saves for the Avalanche, while Garon stopped 31 shots for the Oilers.

"They were shooting a lot, but they didn't get that many scoring chances," Garon said. "This is my job. I have a good save once in a while to get a win."

The contest was the 1,000th game for Colorado defenseman Adam Foote. The 37-year-old became the 40th active player to reach the 1,000-game plateau, and the 14th current defenseman.