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Oilers post another shootout win over Canucks

Dec 16, 2007 - 6:59 AM EDMONTON, Alberta (Ticker) -- On the bright side, the Vancouver Canucks have yet to lose in regulation to the Edmonton Oilers. Like most teams, however, they have yet to figure out a way to beat their Northwest Division rivals in a shootout.

Fernando Pisani scored in the fourth round of the bonus format to lift the Oilers to a 2-1 victory over the Canucks on Saturday.

Shawn Horcoff tallied in regulation and Mathieu Garon made 29 saves for Edmonton, which improved to 3-0 against Vancouver in shootouts this season and 10-1 overall in the bonus format.

"We know that they've got an unbelievable shootout record this year," Canucks goaltender Curtis Sanford said. "Garon and (Dwayne) Roloson have been solid for them back there, and they have some young guys that can put the puck in the net when it's just them and the goalie. You have to respect that, and it gives you all the more reason to close it out in regulation time or the overtime."

Edmonton's lone shootout loss came at Colorado on November 7.

The Canucks fell to 0-4 overall in the bonus format this season.

"Every shootout that we've been in, and we've lost three to this team, we've been in a position to win the game," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "We're just not in a position to finish."

The win was the third in a row for the Oilers, with all three coming via the shootout.

"We are very confident in the shootout," Garon said. "It was a little harder and we had to wait for the end, but we came through again. ... It's a lot of pressure, but I think you have to take it one shooter at a time, and that's what I am trying to do."

After a scoreless first round, Ryan Kesler gave Vancouver the edge when he beat Garon low to the stick side with a wrist shot. Ales Hemsky failed to convert on Edmonton's second-round attempt, but after Taylor Pyatt was denied by Garon, Horcoff kept alive the Oilers' hopes, firing a wrister just inside the left goalpost.

"I was a little bit more nervous coming down for that one than some other times," said Horcoff, who is 4-for-4 in shootouts this campaign. "You never like to say it's automatic. We definitely feel comfortable going in, and that starts with the goaltending."

Garon, who has allowed just two goals on 20 shootout attempts against him, denied Alex Burrows in the fourth round, setting the stage for Pisani. Sidelined for the first 26 games of the season with ulcerative colitis, Pisani slipped a backhander between the pads of Sanford to give Edmonton the victory.

"I wasn't sure if I was going (to participate) or not," Pisani said. "When I got the call, I had an idea what I was going to do before I went out there because I had been watching other guys shoot and seeing what (Sanford) was doing. I went down, faked it on the forehand and pulled it to my backhand through the five-hole. I was fortunate enough to see it go in."

"I didn't think he was going to shoot, but he showed shot and then he just slid it through my legs," Sanford said. "I thought he was going to take me a little further than that, but again, it was a pretty good move."

Oilers coach Craig MacTavish almost didn't use Pisani in the shootout.

"I was torn between Fernie and (Robert) Nilsson for the fourth shooter," MacTavish said. "Fernie is always a good story with the way he's played, he's done great. It's quite incredible that we have so many shootout wins now."

Sanford stopped 25 shots for the Canucks, who fell to 2-0-3 vs. the Oilers and have lost four of their last five games.

It took 56 1/2 minutes and a tremendous effort by Hemsky to break a scoreless tie.

After gaining possession of the puck near the left point, Hemsky skated down the slot and around the net on the right side before dishing to Horcoff. From the left faceoff circle, Horcoff fired a one-timer past Sanford with 3:29 remaining in the third period, giving the Oilers a 1-0 edge.

"There was just no hesitation," Sanford said. "He knew exactly what he wanted to do and he made a great shot. I thought I was out where I needed to be and he hit the beanbag at the back of the net. It was a great shot."

Just over two minutes later, Daniel Sedin threw the puck toward the net from the right circle. On the left side of the crease, defenseman Mattias Ohlund was there to put it past Garon with 82 seconds to go, knotting the contest.

"They scored late and kind of put us behind the eight ball," Sanford said. "We battled back, and that's what we do. We're always in games right to the very end. It was a good point for us to get."

The opening period got off to a fast start, with both teams getting chances in a relatively whistle-free first seven minutes.

Kyle Brodziak was stymied from the doorstep by Sanford at one end, while Garon made a big save on a blast from Sedin at the other.

"It was a cage match there for a while, a spattering of chances," MacTavish said.

A scoreless second period was highlighted by good defensive play, which limited offensive chances. Both teams wasted power-play opportunities, with the Canucks coming closest to scoring when Sedin hit the goalpost.

The Oilers' best chance came on a tic-tac-toe play started by Tom Gilbert. The defenseman dished to Nilsson, but the play was broken up at the last moment by Vancouver defenseman Lukas Krajicek.