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Oilers snap four-game slide by blanking Blue Jackets

Feb 23, 2007 - 5:43 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Shawn Horcoff and Ryan Smyth brought the Edmonton Oilers some much-needed relief.

Horcoff scored twice and added an assist and linemate Smyth netted a goal and set up two others as the Oilers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-0 triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Playing the fifth contest of a seven-game road trip, Edmonton scored two power-play tallies and received a 28-save performance from Dwayne Roloson to raise its all-time record here to 7-1-4, while handing the Blue Jackets their 13th shutout loss of the campaign.

"We did a lot of things well tonight," Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said. "The skill level showed in the way we moved the puck. We played well defensively and answered the bell physically, and we got good goaltending. So it was a complete effort."

"We are supporting each other well in our offensive zone," Smyth said. "That's a big key in having the success that we have. We are cycling the puck well. We have a guy above and underneath the puck and we are creating a lot of chances."

The Oilers needed less than 2 1/2 minutes to open the scoring as Horcoff knocked the rebound of his own shot inside the right goalpost at 2:22.

"Tonight, we played a really solid 60-minute game that we haven't really done in a long time," Horcoff said. "We are playing well right now and its going to be a big test for us tomorrow against one of the best teams in the conference (in the Detroit Red Wings)."

Smyth took advantage of Alexander Svitov's hooking penalty later in the period to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead, burying a backhander from the doorstep with his back facing the net.

"(Defenseman Anders Eriksson) had his stick tied up in my legs," Smyth said. "The puck came across and I saw it. I just turned around. I was thinking the goalie was overplaying (Horcoff), and (Horcoff) made a good play passing it through and I just luckily got it through."

"We got down a couple goals," Columbus left wing Rick Nash said. "We are at home. We have our home fans with us, and it's unacceptable to do that to these people that are coming to the games."

Rookie defenseman Ladislav Smid netted his first career goal at 5:37 of the second period with a one-timer from the right faceoff circle that found the top right corner of the net.

"It's a great feeling," Smid said. "After 50-some games, I waited for that a long time. It was a good play from Raffi (Torres). I just shot it and it was good."

"It was nice to see that," MacTavish said. "He's a pretty happy character. I know that (has) been a stat that (has) bothered him. It was good to see him get that goal. It was a terrific play by (Torres), and those guys were a handful all night."

Horcoff completed his first multi-goal game of the season at 2:45 of the third following Sergei Fedorov's hooking infraction.

Roloson stopped 11 shots in the first period, eight in the second and nine in the third for his fourth shutout of the season and 22nd career.

"We played a great game," Roloson said. "We played the kind of hockey game that we had to play to win. We capitalized on our chances and we were able to sustain a lot of their pressure down low.

"Right now, points are really critical, so it is really nice to get the two points, especially here."

Fredrik Norrena made 24 saves for Columbus, which has dropped eight of its last 10 games.

"It's disappointing to play as well as we've played 5-on-5 and to come out with a performance like that," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Today, we had a lot of guys whose performance was well below the bar. I think there's a focus somewhere else for some people, and it showed today."