Edmonton 2, St. Louis 1
The Skinny: The Oilers wrapped up a five-game homestand with a 3-2 record, snapping a two-game losing skid on goals by Gilbert Brule and Sam Gagner in front of a 21-save performance by Dwayne Roloson.
The Quote: “It was an early morning, but you have to play through tough stuff,” said Ryan Potulny, who began his trip to Edmonton at 5 a.m. Sunday after being recalled from Springfield of the AHL. “Just the excitement of being here and the adrenalin got me going.”
The Big Play: It was 1-1 in the third period when Erik Cole feathered a cross-ice pass in the high slot to Gagner, who one-timed an off-speed slapshot high past a screened Manny Legace at 6:31.
Potulny Productive Potulny, the leading scorer in Springfield when recalled Saturday, made his debut with the Oilers by picking up two assists.
About Time: Brule’s 1-1 goal on a breakaway in the second period was his first as a member of the Oilers and his first in 56 games, dating back to Oct. 31, 2007. He went top shelf on Legace.
The Rumbling: The Oilers hit the halfway mark in their season with a home record of 9-8-3. So much for a tough road schedule to start the season being a factor. They’ve got 11 road wins (11-10-0).
Head Games: Ales Hemsky missed his seventh straight game with a concussion, while Robert Nilsson sat out after getting his bell rung in Friday’s 4-1 loss to San Jose.
The Next Game: The Oilers are in Washington tomorrow to play the Capitals.
