Slump Continues: Oilers drop 4-1 decision to Flames

Edmonton's Shawn Horcoff tries to get the puck past Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff Monday night at Rexall Place. Kiprusoff made 33 other saves to help his club beat the Oilers 4-1. (Photo by Jimmy Jeong / Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club)

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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 Comments from Ryan Potulny, Andrew Cogliano, Shawn Horcoff, Jason Strudwick & Pat Quinn

AUDIO

Audio highlights Ryan Potulny Andrew Cogliano Shawn Horcoff Jason Strudwick Pat Quinn

THREE STARS

Rene Bourque, CGY - three goals for first career hat trick Miikka Kiprusoff, CGY - 34 saves Ladislav Smid, EDM - one fight

UPDATE

With the loss, the Oilers drop to 15-20-4 and remain in last spot in the Western Conference with 34 points.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Oilers host their final home game of the decade Thursday, December 30 vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs. The game starts at 7:30pm MST. If you can't make it to Rexall Place, you can watch it live on Molson Canadian Oilers Pay Per View. Click here for more information.

Despite nabbing the game's first goal and breaking 30 shots before the end of the second period, the Oilers couldn't fight their way out of a losing streak Monday night. Rene Bourque scored on three of Calgary's 23 shots, including the game-winner in the second and a shortie in the third period, to get the hat trick and propel his club to a 4-1 win.

The opening goal by Ryan Potulny and four fights involving Andrew Cogliano, Ladislav Smid, Steve Staios and Ryan Stone were the highlights for Oilers fans in this Battle of Alberta.

FIRST PERIOD

The Oilers pounced on their provincial foes only two minutes in. Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff made a pair of big saves, but when Jason Strudwick cut in and slapped back a rebound, Potulny deflected the puck into the net to give the home team an early 1-0 lead.

Fans were able to stretch their applause on the following center-ice face-off. Moments after taking the draw, Cogliano and Dustin Boyd dropped their gloves to participate in a quick scrap. The fight was Cogliano's first in three NHL seasons and more than doubled his penalty minutes this year.

Edmonton benefited from the game's first powerplay 18 seconds after the fight when Fredrik Sjostrom took a holding minor. The Oilers used the advantage to assume an 8-2 shot lead but were unable to beat Kiprusoff on the man-advantage. Shortly thereafter, a second powerplay increased that lead to 13-2, but Kiprusoff stood strong.

The tables turned in the frame's final four minutes when Cogliano took a tripping minor, and a tipped slapshot flew over Jeff Deslauriers and into the net. The celebration was short, however, because video replay proved that Curtis Glencross nudged it with a high stick and the goal was disallowed.

But the Flames got that one back before the period was out. At 18:58, Bourque backhanded the puck past Deslauriers to relight the lamp and tie the game at one heading into the second period.

SECOND PERIOD

With a commanding 16-5 shot lead to start the second, the Oilers gave up four early shots but then added two of their own when Boyd served his second minor penalty of the night.

Edmonton's Sam Gagner had a pair of excellent scoring chances after the return of five-on-five, but Calgary's Bourque would be the next to score. Near the game's midway point, the Flame capitalized on a crowded crease to beat Deslauriers for the second time and give the visitors their first lead of the game.

The Oilers maintained their shot lead, posting 31 vs. the Flames' 14 after 40 minutes, but the extra attempts failed to net an extra goal and the 2-1 game persisted.

THIRD PERIOD

Five minutes into the third, Edmonton got a good chance to tie things up when Olli Jokinen served Calgary's fifth penalty but Bourque ensured it didn't happen. With help from Daymond Langkow, #20 capped a shorthanded two-on-one with his third goal of the night and tenth point in four games vs. the Oil this season.

Buoyed by his teammate's hat trick, Mark Giordano joined Bourque on the scoresheet 1:29 later by firing past Deslauriers to make it 4-1 Flames.

Edmonton's frustrations came to a head with five minutes left in regulation. Behind Deslauriers' net, Ladislav Smid and Jarome Iginla dropped their gloves for an extended duel that netted fighting majors to both players.

18 seconds after that, Steve Staios and Robyn Regehr participated in a similar scrap at the opposite end of the ice. With 50 seconds left on the clock, a final fight involving Ryan Stone and Aaron Johnson concluded the brawling and closed out the 4-1 game, Edmonton's seventh consecutive loss.