Red Wings edge Oilers 3-2

Tom Gilbert fires the puck on Ty Conklin during Tuesday's game between the Oilers and Red Wings at Rexall Place. The Red Wings went on to win 3-2. (Photo by Andy Devlin/Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club)

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GAME CENTRE

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by Jen Sharpe | edmontonoilers.com

Although Denis Grebeshkov and Ales Kotalik posted the first and last goals of the game, the Detroit Red Wings scored three in between to secure a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday night. First-star honours went to Dwayne Roloson for his 41-save performance.

FIRST PERIOD

The Oilers held a 5-2 shot lead in the first six minutes but were then forced to defend against the league's best powerplay when Robert Nilsson took a cross-checking penalty. But Edmonton held Detroit to two PP shots and zero goals and then drew a hooking minor from Tomas Kopecky.

Like the game's first powerplay, the second man-advantage failed to result in a goal. Though the Oilers managed a pair of excellent scoring chances later in the period, Ty Conklin turned away each shot to maintain the scoreless game.

In the final five minutes of the frame, overlapping Red Wings infractions gave the Oilers a two-man-advantage for nearly a minute. Although the club couldn't beat Conklin on the five-on-three, Denis Grebeshkov one-timed Ales Hemsky's pass into the net with 38 seconds left in the second powerplay and 1:11 left on the clock.

The goal ensured the Oilers would start the second with a 1-0 lead and a 13-9 shot advantage.

630 CHED's Dan Tencer talks to Dustin Penner after the first period

SECOND PERIOD

The Wings tested Dwayne Roloson with four shots early in the second and then tested the club's penalty killers by drawing a tripping penalty from Hemsky. But a minute into the man-advantage, a second tripping minor to Henrik Zettergerg evened out the odds.

Detroit took over the shot clock following the penalties and then benefited from its third powerplay thanks to a slashing minor to Marc Pouliot. Fortunately for Edmonton, Roloson came up with a handful of big saves -- including a flashy glove grab on Johan Franzen -- to keep his club up by one.

A late roughing penalty to Sheldon Souray helped the Red Wings finish the middle frame with 1:28 of man-advantage and a nine-shot lead in the bank.

THIRD PERIOD

The Red Wings dominated the early part of the third, firing 10 more shots on Roloson to take a 36-18 shot lead after only five minutes. The Oilers goalie performed two more spectacular saves but a 13th third-period shot courtesy of Jonathan Ericsson found its way through. From the top of the face-off circle, the defenceman tied the game at one with his second career NHL goal.

With less than two minutes and 41 Wings shots on the clock, the visitors took their first lead of the game. After receiving a feed from Franzen, Marian Hossa wristed the puck on net. Roloson caught a piece with his toe but was unable to steer it wide and watched it sail into the net.

32 seconds later and from the corner of the crease, Valtteri Filppula backhanded home a rebound for a third unanswered goal and 3-1 Wings lead.

The Oilers opted for six skaters following the goal and with one minute left in regulation, Ales Kotalik made the advantage count by capitalizing on a chaotic scene and beating Conklin with a fierce snapshot.

But it would be too little, too late for Edmonton as Detroit held on for a 3-2 win.