Oilers 1 Flyers 0
EDMONTON — Usually when a team scores in the final minute it has meant a loss for the Edmonton Oilers this season.
Not this time.
Ryan Potulny scored the only goal of the game with just 17 seconds left on the clock as the Oilers won their second in a row, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 1-0 Wednesday night.
With Philadelphia’s Darroll Powe in the penalty box, Sam Gagner sent a backhand pass to a hard-driving Potulny, who shovelled his 12th goal of the season past Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton.
“We battled all game and worked hard, we deserved that one,” Potulny said. “We had a little luck tonight, but it’s about time for us. It’s just nice to get a win.”
Jeff Deslauriers stopped 33 shots to earn his second shutout of the season for the Oilers (18-31-6) who have now won both of their games in February after failing to win once in the entire month of January.
The Oilers, last in the NHL, have just three wins in their last 23 games.
“When you lose 12 or 13 in row it does a lot to your confidence late in games,” said Gagner. “Being able to pull that one out against Carolina gave us a lot of confidence and it showed. Tonight we weren’t tentative, we were playing aggressive right to the very end. We were able to draw a penalty and score on the power play.”
Leighton made 26 stops for the Flyers (28-24-3), who had a two-game winning streak snapped.
“The team played well in front of me,” Leighton said. “Defensively, we’re playing well, blocking shots, and our penalty kill was good tonight. They kinda got a lucky bounce at the end, the guy (Sam Gagner) feeds it across and (Mike Richards) is right there but their guy barely taps it in. It’s a tough loss.”
The Oilers dodged a bullet late in the third as defenceman Alex Plante, playing just his second NHL game, put a puck into the stands with five minutes to play and was called for delay of game, but Edmonton was able to kill off the penalty.
“I hate that call,” Oilers head coach Pat Quinn said. “We should be able to determine a deliberate move on that, but not an automatic. But our guys rallied and did a pretty good job there.”
The Oilers begin a five-game trip in Minnesota today.