Final
Wild-Oilers Preview
Apr 5, 2010 - 6:50 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS WriterMinnesota (37-35-7) at Edmonton (24-46-8), 9:30 p.m. EDT
Eliminated from playoff contention last week, the Minnesota Wild still haven't given up on their season.
With three games remaining, the Wild continue their trip through Western Canada on Monday night looking for their first road victory against the NHL-worst Edmonton Oilers this season.
In its first action since its faint playoff hopes ended with a 3-2 loss to Western Conference-leading San Jose on Friday, Minnesota (37-35-7) rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the final minute Sunday with goals from rookie Cody Almond and Antti Miettinen before falling to Vancouver 4-3 in overtime.
"(Almond's first NHL goal) gave us a little life," said Andrew Brunette, who scored his 24th of the season - and 100th with Minnesota - to open the Wild's third-period scoring. "The third period was obviously our best period and we didn't quit and it was a good sign."
Minnesota will now try to avoid a four-game slide with its fourth victory against Edmonton this season. The Wild have won all three at home versus the Oilers by a combined 11-5 margin but have dropped both in Edmonton.
In the teams' last matchup in Alberta, Oilers center Mike Comrie scored in regulation and added the shootout winner past Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom in a 2-1 victory March 5.
Backstrom made 22 saves in that contest, suffering just his second loss in 18 career starts in this Northwest Division matchup. It was also Minnesota's seventh loss in nine trips to Edmonton since the beginning of the 2007-08 season.
With a 7-3-0 record at Rexall Place since Feb. 1, the Oilers (24-46-8) look to maintain their home-ice advantage against the Wild.
Edmonton opens its final homestand of the season following an 0-3-1 trip that ended with a 3-2 shootout loss to Phoenix on Saturday. The Oilers stopped all nine of the Coyotes' power-play opportunities and Jeff Deslauriers made a season-high 42 saves, with seven stops in the tiebreaker before Matthew Lombardi's game-winner.
"It's hard not to like how our guys played," said Edmonton coach Pat Quinn. "Most of our guys played with effort."
Deslauriers, 1-5-1 with a 3.75 goals-against average in his last seven starts, is 1-3-1 against Minnesota this season. He made 28 saves in the March 5 victory.
If rookie Devan Dubnyk gets the start in net, it will be his first appearance versus the Wild. Dubnyk has a 1.44 GAA while winning his last two home starts.
Oilers forward Dustin Penner, who scored his career high-tying 29th goal Saturday, is scoreless in the last four games in this series after finding the back of the net twice in a 5-2 home win Oct. 16.
With a victory, Minnesota will win its fifth straight season series against Edmonton.
- -------------------------------------------
Minnesota
0 1 0 --1
Edmonton 2 0 2 --4
-------------------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Edmonton, Dustin Penner 30 (Taylor
Chorney, Ryan Potulny), 01:33. 2, Edmonton, Ethan Moreau 8
(shorthanded) (Tom Gilbert, Shawn Horcoff), 10:12. Penalties: J
Scott, Min (instigator, major fighting, misconduct),
Apr 5 11:58 PM - -------------------------------------------
Minnesota
0 1 0 --1
Edmonton 2 0 2 --4
-------------------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Edmonton, Dustin Penner 30 (Taylor
Chorney, Ryan Potulny), 01:33. 2, Edmonton, Ethan Moreau 8
(shorthanded) (Tom Gilbert, Shawn Horcoff), 10:12. Penalties: J
Scott, Min (instigator, major fighting, misconduct),
Apr 5 11:57 PM - --------------------------------------
Minnesota
0 1 --1
Edmonton 2 0 --2
--------------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Edmonton, Dustin Penner 30 (Taylor
Chorney, Ryan Potulny), 01:33. 2, Edmonton, Ethan Moreau 8
(shorthanded) (Tom Gilbert, Shawn Horcoff), 10:12. Penalties: J
Scott, Min (instigator, major fighting, misconduct), 6:35; D Arsene,
Edm
Apr 5 11:03 PM - ---------------------------------
Minnesota
0 --0
Edmonton 2 --2
---------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Edmonton, Dustin Penner 30 (Taylor
Chorney, Ryan Potulny), 01:33. 2, Edmonton, Ethan Moreau 8
(shorthanded) (Tom Gilbert, Shawn Horcoff), 10:12. Penalties: J
Scott, Min (instigator, major fighting, misconduct), 6:35; D Arsene,
Edm (major fighting), 6:
Apr 5 10:16 PM
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