Oilers clipped by Senators in a shootout

Zack Stortini swats at a loose puck in front of Senators netminder Pascal Leclaire (photo: Getty Images)

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PRE-GAME

Preview Game Notes Head-to-Head Stats Comparison Game Program Video interviews Audio Interviews

PHOTOS

Click here for the photo gallery

VIDEO

Watch the highlights Ryan O'Marra, Dustin Penner, Jeff Deslauriers & Pat Quinn comment on the loss

AUDIO

Audio Highlights   Ryan O'Marra Dustin Penner Jeff Deslauriers Pat Quinn

SHOOTOUT RESULTS

Edmonton: O'Sullivan - GOAL Penner - SAVE Comrie -SAVE Ottawa: Kovalev - GOAL Alfredsson - SAVE Spezza - GOAL

THREE STARS

Jason Spezza, OTT Chris Neil, OTT Ethan Moreau, EDM

UPDATE

With the point for a shootout loss, Edmonton moves within two points of a four-way tie for sixth spot in the Western Conference.

WHAT'S NEXT

Edmonton continues their five-game road trip by jetting to Buffalo after tonight's game. They play the Sabres Wednesday, November 11 at 5:00pm MST. The game will be broadcast on TSN.

by Marc Ciampa | edmontonoilers.com

The Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators played a seesaw battle that ended up with the Senators prevailing 4-3 in the shootout on a Jason Spezza goal.

FIRST PERIOD

Jeff Deslauriers was tested early on in his third start of the season, denying Milan Michalek on an in-close chance during the game's opening four minutes.

Mike Fisher then backhanded the puck on net a couple minutes later but it trickled right through the crease at the feet of Deslauriers.

Ryan O'Marra took his first career NHL shift six minutes in after arriving at the rink at 7:15 p.m. local time - only 20 minutes before puck drop. O'Marra was slotted on the left side with Gilbert Brule and Mike Comrie.

Edmonton took a 1-0 lead nearly midway through the opening frame. Steve Staios took the initial shot from the right point that was stopped by Sens netminder Pascal Leclaire but Dustin Penner was right on the doorstep to create enough havoc as the puck bounced off his leg, the butt-end of Leclaire's stick and in.

With nine minutes to play in the first, Michalek almost tied it with the puck on his backhand at the right post. With Deslauriers down and out, he backhanded it off that same right post and out after taking a nice cross pass from Jason Spezza.

Ottawa tied the game a few minutes after that, taking the pass from Alex Kovalev at the bottom of the right circle and pinpointing it top corner to make it 1-1.

Edmonton regained the lead at 16:24 of the first. Ethan Moreau scooped up the puck in the corner and skated in front before jamming the puck in for the 2-1 marker and his third of the season.

After one, Edmonton had a 9-8 lead in shots on goal.

SECOND PERIOD

Ottawa tied the game up early in the second period. Nick Foligno backhanded the puck up and over Deslauriers after taking a nifty no-look pass from Ryan Shannon.

Leclaire came up big midway through the second on a Denis Grebeshkov blast from the high slot. The Senators netminder kicked out his left pad to make his best save of the night to that point.

Edmonton started to pour on the pressure 12 minutes into the period. Zack Stortini used his speed to get in behind the Sens defenders and take a feed from Sam Gagner. Stortini's shot attempt was turned away by Leclaire but he did draw a hooking penalty by Daniel Alfredsson.

The penalty was the game's first and put Edmonton on the power play for the first time tonight.

The Oilers pinned Ottawa in their zone for most of the ensuing man advantage but could not beat the Senators netminder to re-take the lead. The best chance came when Penner provided Mike Comrie with a no-look pass giving the Edmonton forward a wide open net but Comrie's stick was tied up and he couldn't get a handle on it.

After two, shots on goal were 24-14 in favour of the Oilers.

THIRD PERIOD

Penner had two chances to score early in the period. First, on a redirection from a Staios shot that went just wide and then he just missed on a nice cross-ice feed from Sam Gagner.

Several minutes later, Andrew Cogliano had a breakaway but just missed the net on his deke attempt.

Denis Grebeshkov hit the net on his deke attempt about a minute after that as the Oilers attack continued. However, Leclaire stretched out to make a big stop.

With 6:49 to go in the third, Ottawa scored to take a 3-2 lead. Chris Neil wrapped around with the puck then bowled over Deslauriers with assistance from Moreau. The puck trickled just across the line for the goal.

Just over two minutes later, the Oilers struck to tie the game up at 3-3. His long shot was stopped by Leclaire then trickled through his legs. Brule then got in behind the Senators netminder to punch it across the line.

Edmonton almost took the lead in the final two minutes of the third during a wild goalmouth scramble in front of Leclaire but the Sens goalie was able to hold the fort.

OVERTIME

Cogliano and Penner both had outstanding chances to end the game in the extra frame. First, Cogliano broke through two Ottawa defenders and managed a backhand on goal despite being hauled down on his way to the net.

Penner then hustled to beat Alexandre Picard to the puck before wristing it on goal from the high slot.

SHOOTOUT

Patrick O'Sullivan scored for the Oilers on a nice shot to the left side. Alex Kovalev responded with a backhand move, roofing it under the crossbar.

Both Dustin Penner and Daniel Alfredsson missed for either side. Mike Comrie then missed for Edmonton, setting the stage for Jason Spezza's shootout winner. Spezza went for the deke and just got the puck between the post and Deslauriers' outstretched left pad for the winner.