Thu Jan 3 03:58:39 2008

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Penner is mighty as Oilers beat Blues in OT

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St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Dustin Penner's power-play goal with 18 seconds left in overtime lifted the Edmonton Oilers to a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center.

With 1:30 to play in the extra session, Matt Walker was whistled for hooking. Hannu Toivonen stopped Jarret Stoll's blast from the point, but Penner, standing outside the crease, kicked the rebound to his stick and slid the puck into the net.

Tom Gilbert also scored and Mathieu Garon stopped 31-of-33 shots for Edmonton, which snapped a six-game skid.

David Perron and David Backes scored for the Blues, who have lost nine of their last 12 games. Manny Legace turned aside three shots in the first period before leaving the game with a head injury. Toivonen finished the game with 18 saves.

Penner gave the Oilers a 2-1 lead at 5:18 of the third. Robert Nilsson threaded a pass that sprung Penner on a breakaway. Penner sold the backhand, then switched to the forehand and tucked the puck past the right pad of Toivonen.

Backes and Jamal Mayers executed a perfect give-and-go to tie the game at two. Backes snapped Mayers' return feed from the left corner behind Garon with 8:56 remaining.

Andrew Cogliano was called for cross checking with 2:17 left to play, but Edmonton successfully killed the penalty to force overtime.

St. Louis scored first when Christian Backman kept the puck in at the blue line and fired a shot on goal. The puck handcuffed Garon, ricocheting off the heel of his catching glove, and Perron knocked in the rebound at the 4:12 mark of the opening period.

Toivonen began the second period between the pipes and was immediately welcomed by Gilbert, whose blast from the right point found the twine 44 seconds into the frame.

Game Notes

Edmonton has won two of three meetings this season, with the road team winning each contest...Edmonton has not won in regulation since a 4-0 triumph over the Ducks in Anaheim on December 2...Edmonton won its first game in overtime (1-2), but have gone 10-2 in the shootout...Edmonton St. Louis has given up 30-or-more shots in only 10 games this season...The Blues have played in 19 one-goal games, posting a 9-5-5 record...Edmonton went 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Blues were 0-for-7 with the man-advantage.