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Glencross, third-period outburst fuel Oilers

Mar 19, 2008 - 5:35 AM EDMONTON, Alberta (Ticker) -- Curtis Glencross scored twice in just over three minutes as the Edmonton Oilers scored four unanswered goals in the third period to outlast the Phoenix Coyotes, 8-4, on Tuesday.

Rookie Sam Gagner netted a goal and set up two others and Ales Hemsky had three assists for Edmonton (37-32-5), which climbed within five points of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Robert Nilsson, Kyle Brodziak, Dustin Penner, Jarret Stoll and defenseman Tom Gilbert also scored for the Oilers, who continued their late-season surge by improving to 7-2-0 in their last nine games.

"We're having a blast," Glencross said. "We can't predict what the other teams are going to do, so we just have to keep going and worry about our game. As long as we keep winning, we have an opportunity for the playoffs."

"It's playoff hockey right now for us," Penner added. "When you are playing so well as a team, it is a lot of fun. Everybody is playing so well right now."

Blue-liner Derek Morris had a goal and two assists while captain Shane Doan and rookies Daniel Winnik and Peter Mueller each netted a tally and set up another for Phoenix (36-33-5), which remained seven points out of eighth place in the West.

Despite the loss, Doan maintained that the Coyotes were not giving up on the season.

"We've got eight games left, it can't be the end," Doan said. "We've got to find a way to win the next one and not get too overly concerned about what everyone else is doing and hope for help."

After the teams traded the first eight goals, Penner snapped the 4-4 deadlock with his 20th goal of the season and team-leading 12th on the power play 7:32 into the third period.

Glencross gave Edmonton a two-goal cushion just 2:14 later and added his second of the night with a persistent effort.

Brodziak fed Glencross in the slot, and the Saskatchewan native fired two shots that were blocked by defenders. Glencross collected himself briefly before calmly wristing the puck between the pads of goaltender Mikael Tellqvist for his 11th of the season and fifth as a member of the Oilers.

"The chances were there for me all night," Glencross said. "I probably could have had five (goals) if things had worked out for me. But it was a good game to get those two goals in, at least."

Stoll capped the scoring by blocking a shot, gathering the puck and wristing it down the ice for a shorthanded empty-netter with 3:04 remaining to seal the win.

Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish credited his team's energy and noted a little might have been lacking from the opposition.

"Yeah, it was a typical Oilers' four-goal win (that starts out) tied in the third," MacTavish joked. "A lot of good offensive play tonight. The power play was clicking. ... I thought they got a little fatigued in the third, which is to be expected playing back-to-back games. We took advantage of that."

The Coyotes were at a loss as to what happened in the pivotal third period.

"I don't know, it looks like we just had another letdown," Winnik said. "A lot of easy goals tonight that were wide-open nets for them. I think that the biggest difference is, we didn't cover our guys on rebounds and we left guys open back door."

Ilya Bryzgalov stopped just eight of 11 shots before being replaced by Tellqvist to start the second period. The Swedish netminder finished with 20 saves.