Oilers edge Sens
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Edmonton, AB (SportsNetwork.com) - Ales Hemsky, a common name in trade rumors prior to Wednesday's deadline, scored twice and the Edmonton Oilers edged the Senators 3-2 for their first win over Ottawa at Rexall Place in nearly 10 years.
The downtrodden Oilers made a few trades before the game, dealing goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov to the Wild in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick and acquiring goaltender Viktor Fasth from the Ducks for a pair of picks.
The moves came a day after the club inked Ben Scrivens to a two-year contract extension, and Scrivens delivered early returns with a 34-save performance.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jordan Eberle notched the eventual game-winner for Edmonton, which snapped a three-game skid.
Craig Anderson, who backstopped Ottawa to a win in the Heritage Classic at BC Place on Sunday, gave up three goals on 30 shots to take the loss.
"We started well and then we started trading chances with them, and we really couldn't keep up," Karlsson said. "Their goalie obviously made some huge saves for them, and we couldn't put it in the net obviously. I think we could have played a little bit smarter."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson both scored for the Senators, the latter going coast-to-coast through four defenders prior to wristing one that trickled across the goal line with 2:55 remaining in regulation.
Ottawa's comeback hit a snag when Eric Gryba was whistled for roughing 21 seconds later, and the Oilers hung on from there.
Spezza staked the Senators to an early lead 5:22 after the opening faceoff with his 16th goal of the season, but Edmonton answered with the next three.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nail Yakupov hit Hemsky in stride with a pinpoint pass in the neutral zone, and Hemsky fended off his defender and went in on Anderson with a stuff along the goalmouth with 5:30 remaining in the opening stanza.
The power play goal ended the Oilers' 0-for-19 streak on the power play.
Midway through the second, Taylor Hall, Sam Gagner and Hemsky came down on a 3-on-3, and Hemsky was left open at the right circle, where he wristed in the go-ahead goal at the 8:58 mark.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There's not much more that he could have done tonight," Oilers coach Dallas Eakins said. "I thought he was absolutely excellent. He was energetic, he was entertaining to watch."
Eberle made it a two-goal game 4:26 into the third, as Boyd Gordon's shot deflected off an Ottawa defender in front and found its way onto Eberle's stick on the left doorstep for a much-needed insurance goal.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Edmonton swept the home-and-home series ... The Senators had won five straight meetings at Rexall Place, last losing on March 14, 2004 ... Hall had two assists for the Oilers.