Edmonton, AB (SportsNetwork.com) – Richard Bachman posted his first shutout of
the season against his former team as the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Dallas
Stars 4-0 on Friday.
Bachman, who was a fourth-round draft pick of the Stars in 2006 and played
parts of three seasons with the team, made 29 saves for his first win since
April 13.
Rookie Andrew Miller scored his first NHL goal on a penalty shot, Benoit
Pouliot tallied a goal and an assist and Derek Roy and Jordan Eberle also lit
the lamp for the Oilers, who have won two straight games and three of their
last four.
Kari Lehtonen allowed all four goals on 28 shots as the Stars’ four-game
winning streak came to an end.
The Oilers wasted no time getting on the board as Eberle crashed the net and
wristed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ pass from behind the net past Lehtonen just 33
seconds into the game.
After a scoreless second period, Ales Hemsky broke into the offensive zone all
alone on a breakaway, but Bachman denied him to keep the Oilers in front.
Roy provided the Oilers with some much-needed space midway through the third.
Nail Yakupov sent the puck into the slot from below the goal line and Roy was
there to tap it home for a 2-0 game.
Edmonton took a 3-0 lead after Taylor Hall emerged from behind the net and
sent a pass through the crease to Pouliot, who knocked the puck past Lehtonen
with 6:28 remaining.
Miller, playing in his fifth game, was hauled down on a breakaway with 3:20 to
play and was awarded a penalty shot. He came in slow up through the left
circle and wristed a quick shot over the glove of Lehtonen to account for the
final score.
Game Notes
Edmonton won its first home game against Dallas since Feb. 15, 2011 …
Bachman made his first start since March 8 and posted his second career
shutout … The Oilers were without defensemen Andrew Ference (concussion) and
Mark Fayne (shoulder) and veteran forwards Boyd Gordon (back) and Matt
Hendricks (back) … Nugent-Hopkins has tallied four goals and four assists
over his last six games.
