Dubnyk backstops Oilers to 3-2 shootout win over Wings

Oilers goaltender Devan Dubnyk swats a puck away during a scramble in front of the net (photo: Andy Devlin / EOHC)

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PRE-GAME

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

PHOTOS

Click here for the photo gallery

VIDEO

Watch tonight's post-game video highlights. Watch the entire shootout. Devan Dubnyk, Gilbert Brule, Shawn Horcoff, Ethan Moreau, Theo Peckham & head coach Pat Quinn after the win THE OTHER SIDE: Red Wings post-game comments from Nicklas Lidstrom, Jimmy Howard & head coach Mike Babcock

AUDIO

Audio Highlights vs. Detroit Shawn Horcoff Theo Peckham Gilbert Brule Devan Dubnyk Pat Quinn

SHOOTOUT RESULTS

Edmonton: Potulny - SCORE Brule - SCORE Nilsson - miss Detroit: Datsyuk - miss Williams - SCORE Filppula - miss

THREE STARS

Devan Dubnyk, EDM - 31 saves for first NHL win Jimmy Howard, DET - 22 saves Gilbert Brule, EDM - 2 assists & shootout game-winner

UPDATE

With the win, the Oilers improve to 22-42-7.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Oilers continue their four-game homestand Sunday, March 21 vs. San Jose. The game starts at 6:00pm and will be broadcast on Rogers Sportsnet West. Click here for tickets!

After taking an early 2-0 lead and staving off the Red Wings through the majority of the game, the Oilers seemed destined for a 2-1 win -- rookie goalie Devan Dubnyk's first -- Friday night. But with less than one second left in regulation, Detroit's Brian Rafalski scored to shatter the dream and force extra time.

Thankfully, Dubnyk knew how to put it back together: with two saves in overtime and two in a shootout, the Alberta native got the monkey off his back and earned the first 'W' of his NHL career.

Andrew Cogliano and Ryan Whitney scored Edmonton's two goals, while Gilbert Brule assisted on both plays and was credited with the shootout game-winner.

FIRST PERIOD

It didn't take the Oilers long to get on the board. 57 seconds into the game, Brule backhanded a no-look pass across the crease right on the stick of Cogliano. Cogliano made no mistake, putting the puck into the open cage before Red Wings netminder Jimmy Howard could get across.

Moments later, Zack Stortini almost made it a 2-0 game when he just missed on a great chance from the front of the net.

The Oilers opened the game with a lot of jump as they took the play to the Red Wings. Shots on goal were 8-1 in favour of Edmonton four minutes in.

Edmonton's ninth shot also went into the back of the net. Cogliano played a huge role again with a great cross-ice pass right on the stick of Ryan Whitney. Whitney made no mistake, rifling it stick side past Howard to make it 2-0. It was Whitney's first goal as an Oiler, coming at the 4:58 mark of the opening frame.

In order to calm down his troops after a poor start, Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock called a timeout.

With seven minutes left in the first, the Oilers line of Potulny, Pouliot and Nilsson were buzzing around the Red Wings zone. The pressure caused Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom to take a penalty. His interference minor gave Edmonton the game's first powerplay.

Shots at the end of the first period were 16 to 9 in favour of the Oilers.

SECOND PERIOD

Detroit dominated the first few minutes of the middle frame, but Edmonton countered with a thrilling scoring chance near the seven-minute mark. After receiving a feed from Dustin Penner, Brule fired on Howard, followed immediately by Penner, who's rebound attempt missed the open net and rang off the post. The puck then slid out to Cogliano, but while starfished on the ice Howard made the stop with his right pad.

The Oilers broke 20 shots near the game's midway point, but it was a 14th Wings attempt courtesy of Patrick Eaves that lit the lamp next. At 11:51, the winger snagged the puck in the right face-off circle and slapped it past Dubnyk to get the visitors on the board.

With two minutes left in the frame, Shawn Horcoff was called for interference, but the Wings couldn't add to their tally and progressed into the third period down a goal.

THIRD PERIOD

Like in the period previous, the Wings soared at the start of the third, firing seven shots to the Oilers' one in five minutes. At 7:11, Penner headed to the penalty box for hooking, but Dubnyk turned away Detroit's lone powerplay attempt to maintain his club's slim lead.

The Red Wings assumed their first shot-lead of the game following the powerplay, but Dubnyk was steady between the pipes.

The rookie goalie seemed destined to earn his first career NHL win, but with 0.3 seconds left in regulation, Brian Rafalski fired into the net to break the hearts of Oilers fans and force extra time.

OVERTIME

Dubnyk was tested twice and Howard once in the extra frame. Both goalies passed with flying colours, and the game progressed to a shootout.

SHOOTOUT

Skaters Potulny and Brule helped the Oilers effort by scoring on their two shootout attempts, while Dubnyk did his part by stopping Pavel Datsyuk's shot. Although Dubnyk allowed the second Wings shot and Robert Nilsson was unsuccessful on his team's third, the Oilers goalie capped the shootout with a save on Valtteri Filppula to salvage a 3-2 shootout win, his first in the NHL.