Oilers 2, Flames 0
CALGARY, Alberta -- Edmonton Oilers left winger Ryan Smyth surprisingly only scored 24 career goals against the Calgary Flames.
Not many were as ugly, yet pretty at the same time, as his first tally in Friday's 2-0 victory for the Oilers over the Flames in the latest installment of the Battle of Alberta.
Smyth, suited up against the Flames for the 87th time in his 18-year NHL career, notched the winning tally of the night with the kind of greasy goal he is known for during his career, albeit with a twist.
Late in the first period, Smyth drove to the net in anticipation of a pass from right winger Ales Hemsky, and the puck came his way as expected. However, the pass went right into his midsection and ricocheted past Flames goaltender Reto Berra.
The flukey tally, which was only decided to be a good goal after a lengthy review, held up the rest of the way, while Oilers goalie Devan Dubnyk made 27 saves to record his second shutout of the season.
Smyth scored his second of the night into an empty net.
Moments before Smyth's game-winning tally was netted, though, the Flames figured they had opened the scoring before the announced Scotiabank Saddledome crowd of 19,289.
Flames defenceman Mark Giordano believed he had put the hosts on the board first, but the goal was waived by the officials who ruled center Joe Colborne had interfered with the Oilers netminder.
Although Dubnyk collected the shutout, he was hardly the busier of the two netminders, at least when in came to facing quality shots. Berra came up with 26 saves in a losing performance.
The Oilers, who have won two straight, improve to 13-24-3, while the Flames fall to 14-18-6.
NOTES -- Despite leaving the ice in obvious pain during overtime the previous game after suffering a knee-on-knee hit from C David Backes of the St. Louis Blues, Flames C Matt Stajan suited up for the game. Stajan said he didn't believe Backes was being malicious. "It was a bang-bang play, he's trying to hit me and I'm trying to dodge the hit. It happens a lot. He sent me a text after to see if I was OK, which was nice of him. I never thought there was any intent, just frustrated at the time with the way it went down and the heat of the moment," Stajan said ... Oilers captain D Andrew Ference, who spent a few seasons with the Flames, suited up for the 800th regular-season game of his NHL career ... The Oilers summoned D Martin Marincin and C Roman Horak from the AHL Oklahoma City Barons, but neither suited up. The moves were necessitated by putting LW Ryan Jones (concussion) and D Philip Larsen (illness) on the injured list, along with C Mark Arcobello (ribs) ... The Flames are currently only carrying 12 healthy forwards on their active roster, with LW Curtis Glencross (ankle) and C Blair Jones (knee) on the shelf, along with D Dennis Wideman (hand) and D Kris Russell (knee). Only Wideman is expected to possibly return within the next couple of weeks.
