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Smyth leads Oilers past Avalanche

Nov 14, 2006 - 5:18 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- Ryan Smyth limped off the ice but not before hurting the Colorado Avalanche.

Smyth scored two goals within a two-minute span of the second period as the Edmonton Oilers posted a 2-1 victory over the Avalanche.

The Oilers ended a five-game road trip 2-2-1, but their enthusiasm was tempered after Smyth left the ice limping after he was kneed by defenseman John-Michael Liles with 29 seconds left in the contest.

With Edmonton down, 1-0, Smyth scored his first power-play goal of the season, beating goaltender Jose Theodore 13:42 into the second period. Then with the Oilers down a man 1:53 later, the 11-year veteran took a pass from Marty Reasoner, skated in and blasted a shot past the Colorado netminder for the Oilers' first shorthanded goal this season.

"Those were definitely typical Smyth goals," Oilers center Jarret Stoll said. "He was attacking the net and when you do that, you usually get the bounces. It was a big one for our club."

"(Smyth) was great and played exceptionally well as usual," said Oilers coach Craig MacTavish, whose team had lost five of six. "The numbers don't tell it, but our power play has been much better the last few games. We played a good, complete game today."

After Colorado had pulled its goaltender with 36 seconds left, Smyth had the puck and headed towards a possible empty-net opportunity, but he was hit hard by Liles, who raised his leg to connect with the longest-tenured Oiler.

"You never know how it (Smyth's leg) swells up," McTavish said. "We'll be on it right away, getting it looked after, but it's going to be awful painful."

Smyth stayed down while a scrum ensued before Roloson helped him up.

"Anytime anyone gets hurt you don't want to see it," Roloson said. "He (Liles) got caught flat-footed on the play and stuck his leg out."

Roloson stopped 33 shots, while Theodore saved 31 in Colorado's third straight loss.

"(Edmonton) played a pretty solid game, but we have to give a little more to be able to win games, especially at home," Theodore said. "We have to be first on the puck, and create the momentum out there."