OT woes over: Oilers beat Blues 2-1 in shootout

Dwayne Roloson makes a save off the shot from St. Louis' David Backes at Rexall Place on March 17, 2009. Roloson went on to register 31 such saves plus three in a shootout to secure a 2-1 shootout win for the Oilers. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

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GAME CENTRE

Twitter Updates   Pre-Game Info Preview Game Notes Head-to-Head Stats Comparison Video interviews Audio Interviews In-Game Media 1st Intermission - Sam Gagner Photo Gallery Click here for the photo gallery Post-Game Video Watch the highlights Post-game comments from Patrick O'Sullivan, Ales Kotalik, Sheldon Souray, Dwayne Roloson & Craig MacTavish The Other Side: Post-game comments from Mason, Backes & head coach Andy Murray Post-Game Podcast Sheldon Souray Patrick O'Sullivan Ales Kotalik Dwayne Roloson Craig MacTavish Shootout Results Edmonton: Patrick O'Sullivan - MISS Ales Kotalik - SCORE Sam Gagner - MISS St. Louis: Andy McDonald - MISS Brad Boyes - MISS David Backes - MISS Three Stars Dwayne Roloson, EDM - 31 saves plus three in shootout Chris Mason, STL - 33 saves plus two in shootout Sheldon Souray, EDM - Opening goal and 27 minutes on ice Update With the two points, Edmonton jumps into a tie with Nashville for seventh spot in the Western Conference, one point ahead of Dallas and Minnesota. What's Next Edmonton heads back on the road for a three-game trip vs. Western Conference opponents starting Thursday, March 19 at Colorado. Game time is 7:00pm MST.

by Jen Sharpe | edmontonoilers.com

For the fourth straight game, the Oilers headed to overtime Tuesday night, but unlike in the previous three contests, they outlasted overtime and rode Dwayne Roloson's three saves to a 2-1 shootout victory over the St. Louis Blues. Sheldon Souray scored Edmonton's first goal while Ales Kotalik got the game-winner in the shootout.

FIRST PERIOD

Only 36 seconds into the game, St. Louis' Roman Polak ushered in the first powerplay by taking an interference penalty. The Oilers used the opportunity to assume a 3-1 shot lead but were unable to get the puck past Blues goalie Chris Mason.

Five minutes later, Mason's counterpart Roloson stole the spotlight -- twice. First, the goalie surprised fans by leaving his crease to challenge for the puck and getting caught up with a Blues player between the face-off circle and the blue line. Roloson struggled to get back to the net, but thankfully the puck stayed clear until he returned. Shortly after that, the Oilers goalie redeemed himself by snagging a slapshot from the point with his glove.

At 10:07, the Oilers went on the penalty kill for the second time thank to T.J. Oshie's tripping penalty. While Roloson stopped a point shot minutes earlier, Mason was unable to match the performance and let Sheldon Souray's one-timer fly into the mesh for a 1-0 Edmonton lead.

The Oilers carried their shot-lead through to the final three minutes of the first, at which point Ethan Moreau and Jeff Woywitka dropped their gloves shortly after a face-off. Moreau steadily drilled Woywitka in the back of the head until both players tumbled to the ice and then skated off to serve their fighting majors.

After 20 minutes, Edmonton led St. Louis 15-12 on the shot clock and 1-0 in goals, marking the first time the Oilers held a lead after one period since February 24 vs Tampa Bay.

630 CHED's Dan Tencer talks to Sam Gagner after the first period

SECOND PERIOD

1:27 into the middle frame, Denis Grebeshkov offered the Blues their first powerplay by taking a hooking minor, and like the home team, the visitors found success early in the man-advantage. 36 seconds in, David Backes cut in on Roloson and wrapped the puck around his left pad to tie the game at one.

An interference minor to Backes and roughing minor to Souray put special teams on the ice for four more minutes later in the period, but Roloson and Mason kept the lamps unlit to push the 1-1 game into the final frame.

THIRD PERIOD

The Blues assumed control of the shot clock early in the third, but after a trio of penalties -- two for the Oilers and one for the Blues -- shots were even at 30 heading into the final few minutes of regulation.

With less than a minute left on the clock, stellar saves by Roloson and Mason kept a regulation game-winner off the clock and forced the Oilers into overtime for the fourth straight game.

OVERTIME

Edmonton and St. Louis posted three and two shots respectively thoughout sudden death, but the goalies stopped each attempt to force a shootout.

SHOOTOUT

Mason and Roloson started the shootout with a save each, but in the second round of attempts, Ales Kotalik backhanded the puck under Mason's crossbar to get one for the home team. The goal would prove to be the game-winner as Roloson followed up with two more saves to secure a perfect breakaway relay, 2-1 shootout win for the Oilers, and first star honours.