Senators shoot past Oilers

Hockey Betting Lines

02/21/2007 - Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dean McAmmond was credited with the game-winning goal in the shootout and the Ottawa Senators escaped a late rally to defeat the Edmonton Oilers, 4-3, at Scotiabank Place.

Dany Heatley, Mike Fisher and Daniel Alfredsson scored in regulation for Ottawa, which relinquished a 3-1 lead with under five minutes remaining in regulation but used the extra periods to win their fifth straight game overall. Martin Gerber made 27 saves for the Senators, who will now face Buffalo in a home-and-home series that begins on Thursday in New York.

Petr Sykora scored twice and Tom Gilbert's first career goal tied the contest with 19.8 seconds to play for slumping Edmonton, which remained winless (0-2-2) on its current seven-game road trip that will continue in Columbus on Thursday. Jussi Markkanen allowed three goals on 34 shots in the loss.

After the Oilers tied the game in the waning seconds of the third period, a furious overtime saw quality scoring chances for both teams but the goaltenders stopped all nine shots taken.

Both McAmmond and Mike Comrie then scored in the shootout as Gerber stopped all of Edmonton's attempts to seal the win.

When Ottawa defenseman Chris Phillips was whistled for hooking only 25 seconds into the final period, the Oilers went to work with the man advantage and cut their deficit to 2-1 at the 1:34 mark. After several shots missed the net, the puck made its way back to the right point, where Sykora corralled the puck, drifted into the high slot and unleased a slap shot that lit the lamp with the help of a screen by Ryan Smyth.

Alfredsson's 20th goal with 7:43 remaining in regulation restored Ottawa's two-goal edge. On a 3-on-2 rush, Mike Fisher skated down the slot and passed into the left circle for Peter Schaefer, who stopped and spotted a cutting Alfredsson, who followed his initial shot and backhanded home the rebound.

The Sens appeared in control and on their way to victory, but a mistake by Chris Kelly gave the Oilers hope. Kelly committed the cardinal sin in hockey -- a cross-ice pass from deep in his own zone -- and the disc was deflected by Raffi Torres and sat in the low slot. Sykora was all alone and beat Gerber with a wrist shot to bring Edmonton within 3-2 with 4:12 remaining in regulation.

Inside the final minute, the Oilers pulled Markkanen for the extra skater and it paid off when Gilbert scored his first career goal during a flurry at the top of the crease.

Ottawa dominated the first period and created many scoring chances that Markkanen turned aside. Within the first three minutes of the game, with the Senators buzzing in their offensive zone, referee Chris Lee waived off what appeared to be Ottawa's first goal. During a scramble in front of the net, the puck crossed the goal off an errant stick but Antoine Vermette was in the crease and the tally was nullified.

Two minutes later, Kelly was all alone in the slot, but his wrist shot was gloved by Markkanen. Another key stop was made with 6:50 remaining in the first when Vermette's shot from near the left post was denied.

Heatley finally put the Sens on the scoreboard at the 14:44 mark. An attempted dump-in by Ottawa from the blue line deflected of the skate of Ales Hemsky and the disc caromed high into the air before it landed on the left side near the top of the circle. Heatley gained control and lit the lamp with a sharp- angle wrister from beneath the left circle for his 33rd goal of the season.

The second period saw Edmonton win more battles along the boards and the visitors outshot the Senators 9-8 in the stanza, but the hosts tallied the only goal when Fisher scored his 13th with 7:40 remaining from Alfredsson and Phillips.

The Oilers nearly cut their deficit in half with 1:45 to play before the second intermission, but Smyth's one-timer from the top of the right circle missed the net by inches.

Game Notes

Ottawa starting goaltender Ray Emery served the final of his three-game suspension and is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday. He was punished for a slash on Montreal's Maxim Lapierre on February 10...Senators coach Bryan Murray notched his 600th career win and joined a select group of only four other coaches who have reached that plateau: Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour, Dick Irvin and Pat Quinn...The Oilers ended 1-for-3 on the power play and held Ottawa scoreless on its two chances with the extra skater.