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Avs host Oilers, shoot for second straight win

Feb 23, 2011 - 3:58 PM (Sports Network) - Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson may be making his home debut this evening, but he has already left a pretty good first impression with the Avalanche.

After halting a 10-game losing streak last night, Johnson and the Avs return to the Pepsi Center this evening to face the Edmonton Oilers.

Colorado acquired Johnson, the top overall pick of the 2006 draft, and forward Jay McClement on Saturday from the Blues for forward Chris Stewart and rookie blueliner Kevin Shattenkirk. Due to a blizzard in St. Louis back on Feb. 1, the two teams played each other last night in a make-up game just three days after the blockbuster deal.

Johnson got a bit of revenge by scoring a tie-breaking goal with 5:06 left in the third period of a 4-3 victory. Paul Stastny, who had two assists, scored about 2 1/2 minutes later and the goal turned into a big one after the Blues got within one with 2:16 left.

"Lots of different emotions. I just wanted to make sure I didn't celebrate with the wrong bench," said Johnson after his second game with the Avs. "I wanted to make sure I went by the right side to make the fist pumps. But it was a very wonderful feeling to score against your old team in your old building, in your first game back after the trade."

Colorado stood tall thanks in part of 42 saves by Peter Budaj to snap their longest losing streak since relocating to Denver from Quebec prior to the 1995-96 season. The 0-9-1 skid was also the longest for Colorado since a club- record 14-game slide from Oct. 21-Nov. 19, 1990.

Milan Hejduk and David Jones also scored for the Avalanche, who will try to put the brakes on a five-game home losing streak tonight. They are nine points back of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Goaltender Brian Elliott could join Johnson and McClement in tonight's debut after finishing up immigration paperwork yesterday following a trade from Ottawa to Colorado on Friday for fellow netminder Craig Anderson.

Edmonton, meanwhile, will try to avoid a second straight loss after having a three-game win streak snapped in last night's 4-1 setback in Minnesota. Kurtis Foster had the lone Oilers goal, while Nikolai Khabibulin made 19 saves.

"We've got to make a conscious effort to play a little more north, south and get the grinding goals ourselves," Oilers head coach Tom Renney said.

Blueliner Taylor Chorney left in the second period with a right knee injury and his status for this game is unknown.

Edmonton, which is last in the NHL with 46 points, also lost for the 11th time in its last 14 road games and has now lost 15 in a row at Minnesota.

Though the Oilers troubles in Colorado aren't as bad, they have lost two straight and seven of their last 10 in Denver.

The Avs and Oilers have split a pair of meetings this season, with both taking place in Edmonton. The Oilers posted a 3-2 win in the first meeting on Nov. 25, but Hejduk's shootout goal lifted Colorado to a 4-3 win on Dec. 30.