Edmonton, Alberta – It was like any other early to mid-season game, where the Avalanche outplays an opponent for much of a game but when all is said and done, two points escape them.
The Avs settled for just one point Friday night at Rexall Place after losing 4-3 in a shootout to the Edmonton Oilers.
The Avs blew a 3-2 lead with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. A misplayed puck by Avalanche defenseman Kurt Sauer led to Joffrey Lupul’s game-tying goal with 1:47 left, and the Oilers took the shootout 1-0 in five rounds on Marty Reasoner’s goal.
The lost point could prove critical to the Avalanche’s playoff hopes, although it did gain one on eighth-place Calgary and stands five points back with eight games to play.
“To leave a point on the table is tough,” Avs coach Joel Quenneville said. “We had our chances tonight, that’s for sure. We had two chances in the shootout to win it, but didn’t get it done.”
The Avs outshot the Oilers 42-21 in regulation and were clearly the better team. But the Oilers got a big night from goalie Dwayne Roloson, and the return of talented winger Ales Hemsky to the lineup made a big difference.
The Avs played well, but Sauer’s mistake typified an otherwise frustrating night. Sauer tried to gather the puck and skate out of the Avs’ zone, but overskated and Lupul beat goalie Peter Budaj through the five-hole with a wrist shot.
“I’ve got no excuses on that one,” Sauer said. “It went under the heel of my stick. That’s why the coach has me out there in the last two minutes, and I’ve got to get the job done.”
Roloson made a phenomenal save on Joe Sakic late in regulation to keep it a 3-2 game, after Marek Svatos had given the Avs the lead. Then, with the game on Sakic’s and Brett McLean’s sticks in the shootout, Roloson denied them.
Quenneville elected to go with McLean fourth in the shootout lineup and Wojtek Wolski fifth – leaving the high-scoring Paul Stastny on the bench.
“He was going to be the (sixth) shooter,” Quenneville said.
Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com.
