CENOVUS GAME STORY
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
FINAL
3 - 1
FINAL 1 2 3 T
Stars 1 1 1 3
Oilers 0 0 1 1
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GOAL SCORERS

DAL:   M. Ryder (11:53 - 1st) , M. Ribeiro (05:05 - 2nd) , M. Ryder (04:11 - 3rd)
EDM:   A. Hemsky (08:21 - 3rd)
GOALIES

DAL: K. Lehtonen (W)
 EDM: D. Dubnyk (L)
Oilers fail to sink shots in 3-1 loss to Stars
Ryan Dittrick  - edmontonoilers.com

Edmonton's Devan Dubnyk makes a save while teammate Corey Potter works over Steve Ott during second period action between the Oilers & Stars on Mar. 28, 2012 at Rexall Place. (Photo by Andy Devlin / Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club).
GAME ESSENTIALS
 GAME DAY
View Photo Gallery
Under the Scope
Read the Game Preview
 IN-GAME VIDEO
OIL GAUGE: Hemsky's Goal
 POST-GAME VIDEO
Watch the Highlights
IN FOCUS: Oilers post-game interviews with Eberle, Horcoff, Smyth & Renney
RAW: Renney post-game
THE OTHER SIDE: Stars post-game interviews with Michael Ryder, Steve Ott, Kari Lehtonen & Head Coach Glen Gulutzan
 POST-GAME AUDIO
Jordan Eberle
Ryan Smyth
Shawn Horcoff
Tom Renney
Audio Highlights
 THREE STARS
1. Michael Ryder - DAL
2. Mike Ribeiro - DAL
3. Jordan Eberle - EDM
 UPDATE
With the loss, the Oilers' record drops to 31-37-9 (72 points) on the season.
 WHAT'S NEXT
The Oilers' quick two-game homestand wraps up on Friday when the Los Angeles Kings invade Rexall Place. Game time is 7:30 p.m. MDT and it can be seen on Sportsnet West.
Ales Hemsky broke the shutout 8:21 into the third, but a goal in each period by the visitors and three-point nights by Michael Ryder and Mike Ribeiro pushed the Dallas Stars to a 3-1 win over the Oilers on Wednesday night at Rexall Place.

Kari Lehtonen got the nod in goal for the Stars, posting 31 saves on the Oilers' 32 shots.

FIRST PERIOD

Both teams came out with purpose in the game's opening four minutes, registering a shot in each minute at both ends. The home side got the period's best chance when Ryan Whitney unleashed a point shot -- it was stopped by Kari Lehtonen, but he kicked the rebound into the slot where Ben Eager pounced on the opportunity. His quick-strike attempt was also kicked out by the goalie's left pad.

Just inside the Stars blueline on an offensive pinch, Andy Sutton hacked Steve Ott's stick in two, resulting a slashing minor and the game's first power-play at 6:37. It was the Oilers who got the advantage's best opportunities, however. With 1:05 gone in the 5-on-4, Ryan Smyth and Nick Schultz burst up ice on an odd-man break. No. 94 slid a pass across to the club's newest rearguard, but his one-time shot was blocked by Lehtonen's right pad with a dazzling athletic display.

The rest of the penalty was killed off, too.

With 8:07 to play and on the Stars' ninth shot, it became a 1-0 game. Michael Ryder challenged the Oilers with speed, breaking through and dancing around a flat-footed Jeff Petry in the middle before sliding the puck past Devan Dubnyk at 11:53.

Making matters worse, Shawn Horcoff was assessed a boarding minor with 6:49 to play in the period. Without allowing a single shot, however, the Oilers maintained the one-goal disadvantage with a another successful kill.

With 2:29 on the clock, Smyth's pinpoint passing continued as he set up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with a tip attempt at the doorstep. While the rookie knocked it out of mid-air, Lehton was equal to the task in denying the opportunity.

After 20 minutes, the Stars continued to lead 1-0 and were in possession of a slim 13-12 edge in shots.

SECOND PERIOD

The Stars extended to a 2-0 lead on their first shot of the period. 5:05 in, Loui Eriksson and Mike Reibeiro orchestrated a 2-on-1 to perfection, passing back and forth before No. 63 rifled it home past a sprawling Dubnyk.

Ryder was charged with tripping at 8:25, putting the Oilers on their first power-play of the night. The home side was unable to generate much of consequence, however, keeping the game in a 2-0 score as the 10-minute mark passed in a sputtering middle period.

With 5:11 to play and with the Oilers up by a 21-17 shot margin, the Oilers went back to the power-play when Eriksson was assesed a hooking minor. After killing the penalty, the Stars countered and nearly went up 3-0. Following a netural zone turnover, Ryder was sprung on a breakaway; Dubnyk challenged and made a brilliant blocker side to preserve the current score.

Just as the clock (nearly) stuck zero, the penalty box doors continued to swing when Horcoff was called for hooking.

THIRD PERIOD

With only three seconds remaining in the captain's minor, Jordan Eberle rushed up ice on a breakaway. With a quick, backhand-forehand deke, he appeared to have the goalie solved; but with a post-to-post splits-like action, Lehtonen got the pad on it to stop the puck along the goal line, saving a sure goal.

At 4:11, Petry and Corey Potter struggled to gain possesion in order to clear the zone. That cost the Oilers, as Ribeiro and Ryder connected once more with a beautiful, one-touch pass at the crease's lip. Dallas' No. 73 connected, redirecting the pass past a defenceless Dubnyk for the Stars' third tally.

Alex Goligoski was charged with hooking 40 seconds later, putting the Oilers on their third power-play chance of the night.That, too, came and went without a goal as the orange and blue's attack fell silent.

Only for moments, mind you. With 11:39 to play, the Oilers got on the board. Corey Potter bulleted a point shot wide of the target, but Ales Hemsky slid home the end-board rebound past a sprawling Lehtonen to bring the home side within two.

While the Oilers had gained all the momentum, a dive by Vern Fiddler upon a touch by Ryan Whitney put the visitors back on the man-advantage with 7:10 on the clock. Fortunately, the Oilers were able to come up with a kill (their fourth of the night, keeping a perfect PK percentage) to give themselves a chance in the game's latter stages.

Eager to earn the equalizer, the Oilers pulled Dubnyk with 1:20 to play. But it didn't help, as the Stars cruised to the horn in a 3-1 win over the home side.

-- Ryan Dittrick, edmontonoilers.com - Follow me on Twitter | @ryandittrick 


Three star selections
1st:   MICHAEL RYDER
2nd:   MIKE RIBEIRO
3rd:   JORDAN EBERLE
Winning Goaltender
Kari Lehtonen

Losing Goaltender
Devan Dubnyk
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