National Hockey League Game Capsules

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Recap: Colorado vs. Edmonton

Ryan Potulny tallied the eventual game-winning goal and an assist, and the Edmonton Oilers used four power-play goals to post a 5-3 win over the Avalanche and hand Colorado its first home loss of the season.

Dustin Penner and Tom Gilbert also had a goal and an assist apiece for the Oilers, who had lost three straight and six of seven after starting 6-2-1. Andrew Cogliano and Mike Comrie also scored, while Nikolai Khabibulin made 34 saves in the win.

"We were working it around good (on the power play)," Potulny said. "That was the key: just to get the puck and move it quick. You can't hold it -- once you hold it, someone is going to jump on you."

Colorado Avalanche (8-1-2) at Edmonton Oilers (6-4-1), 9:30 p.m.

The surprising Colorado Avalanche will shoot for a third straight win when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for a Northwest Division battle at Rexall Place.

The Avalanche finished last in the West a year ago, but are currently atop the conference standings with 18 points through 11 games this season. Colorado is 8-1-2 and has even recorded a pair of victories this year over the Detroit Red Wings, defending champions of the Western Conference.

Colorado's most recent win came against the Red Wings, as the Avs notched a 3-1 decision Saturday at Pepsi Center. Chris Stewart scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and Craig Anderson made 48 saves to lift the Avalanche to the home victory.

Colorado Avalanche (13-5-3) at Edmonton Oilers (8-10-3), 9 p.m.

The Colorado Avalanche will try to continue heading in the right direction tonight, when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for a Northwest Division battle at Rexall Place.

The Avalanche ended a three-game losing streak Tuesday night, edging the division-rival Flames in Calgary. The 3-2 regulation victory allowed Colorado to remain atop the Northwest standings, and the Avs head into tonight's action with a three-point lead over the Flames.

Tonight marks the middle portion of a three-game tour of western Canada, a trip that has Colorado pitted against three divisional opponents. The Avs, who are 7-3-3 as the guest this year, will complete the swing Friday in Vancouver.

Anderson makes 20 saves, Avalanche beat Oilers 3-0

Craig Anderson made 20 saves for his sixth shutout of the season, and Wojtek Wolski, Ryan Wilson and Brandon Yip scored in the Colorado Avalanche's 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.

Colorado won after losing four of its previous five games.

Jeff Deslauriers had 40 saves for the Oilers, 3-20-2 since Dec. 15.

Edmonton Oilers (15-17-4) at Minnesota Wild (17-16-3), 7 p.m.

A pair of Northwest Division clubs trying to get back in the win column will battle tonight in St. Paul, as the Wild welcome the Edmonton Oilers to Xcel Energy Center.

The Oilers are currently last in the Northwest, but are just three points behind Minnesota in the division standings. Edmonton began December with five straight wins, but the club has since lost four in a row on the heels of that season-best winning streak.

Edmonton has been outscored by a 20-9 margin during its current slide and was slammed, 7-2, by St. Louis on Monday night. The loss to the Blues capped a four-game homestand for the Oilers, who were unable to record a single point on the residency.