Oilers edged by Blues 2-1

St. Louis' Mike Weaver and Edmonton's Sam Gagner chase down the puck during Thursday's game at Rexall Place. The Blues beat the Oilers 2-1. (Photo by Andy Devlin / 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 Mike Comrie, Sam Gagner, Gilbert Brule, Jeff Deslauriers & Head Coach Pat Quinn The Other Side: Eric Brewer, Alex Steen, Chris Mason & Head Coach Davis Payne

AUDIO

Gilbert Brule - 1st Intermission Audio Highlights Mike Comrie Sam Gagner Gilbert Brule Jeff Deslauriers Pat Quinn

THREE STARS

Alex Steen, STL - game-winning goal David Backes, STL - six hits Sam Gagner, EDM - one assist + four shots

UPDATE

With the loss, the Oilers fall to 16-30-6 and remain in 15th spot in the Western Conference with 38 points.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Oilers head down the highway for a quick one-game weekend trip to Calgary. The game starts at 8pm Saturday and will be broadcast on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Edmonton's next home game is Monday, February 1 vs. Erik Cole and the Carolina Hurricanes. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Edmonton and St. Louis battled closely through Thursday night's contest, entering each intermission even on the scoreclock. In the final frame, the Oilers limited the Blues to only one shot, but that was all it took: Alex Steen's snapshot two minutes into the third period proved to be the game-winner and the Oilers suffered a 2-1 loss, their 12th in a row.

Dustin Penner scored Edmonton's only goal at 7:44 of the second period, while goalie Jeff Deslauriers finished with 18 saves.

• For all the facts you did (and didn't) want to know about Thursday's game, read Under the Scope

FIRST PERIOD

The Oilers and Blues were evenly matched through the first half of the first, with both clubs tallying three shots on Jeff Deslauriers and Chris Mason.

St. Louis took the game's first penalty when Patrik Berglund was called for boarding late in the frame. Midway through the powerplay, Lubomir Visnovsky came within inches of getting the first goal but Mason's right post got in the way and the scoreless tie stretched into the second period.

SECOND PERIOD

After starting the middle frame down nine shots to four, the Oilers dominated the first four minutes to assume control of the shot clock. Eight minutes in, Dustin Penner pushed it to the scoreboard after translating Robert Nilsson's crisp cross-ice feed into the game's opening goal.

But the Blues responded 17 seconds later. From the right point, Eric Brewer wired the puck under Deslauriers' crossbar to even the game at one.

On the following center ice face-off, tempers flared between Mike Weaver and Mike Comrie, resulting in coincidental roughing minors. Weaver wasn't alone for long thanks to a Roman Polak took a holding minor, but the Oilers couldn't capitalize on the busy Blues penalty box and dropped to 0-for-2 on the powerplay.

Two minutes later, St. Louis experienced a similar situation when Edmonton killed Sam Gagner's tripping minor.

With both clubs at even strength, Gilbert Brule was unable to cap an exciting breakaway with a go-ahead goal and the tie game headed into the third period.

THIRD PERIOD

Two minutes into the final frame, the Blues hit 20 shots and broke the stalemate. With help from Darryl Sydor, Alex Steen skated up the right side and snapped the puck past Deslauriers to make it 2-1 Blues.

The shot would turn out to be St. Louis' only of the period, but it's all that was required to get the win. A pair of good scoring chances and six Edmonton skaters couldn't tie the game for a second time and the Oilers suffered their 12th consecutive loss.