ST. PAUL, Minn. – Brian Rolston and Pierre-Marc Bouchard combined for eight points and the Minnesota Wild rallied for a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers .
Rolston scored twice and had two assists, and Bouchard scored the winner and assisted on Minnesota’s other three goals.
Dwayne Roloson had 26 saves against his former Wild teammates and is 0-3 since coming to Edmonton in a trade last week.
Fernando Pisani gave the Oilers a 3-2 lead with a power play goal in the third period. But newly acquired Martin Skoula and Bouchard scored for the Wild, who pulled within five points of the Oilers in the race for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. Shawn Horcoff had a goal and two assists as well as a season-high three penalties for Edmonton.
In the opening period, Edmonton killed all but three seconds of an extended 5-on-3 power play before Rolston scored to give the Wild the lead. Bouchard’s pass from behind the net was intended for Marian Gaborik, but when Gaborik missed the puck, it drifted all the way to the blue line where Rolston was waiting. With Roloson out of position, Rolston’s slap shot found the back of the net.
Despite being outshot, the Oilers took a 2-1 lead before the first period was over. Horcoff tied it with a power-play goal, tapping in a cross-ice pass from Ales Hemsky. Sergei Samsonov’s first goal with the Oilers gave Edmonton the lead when he deked Minnesota goaltender Manny Fernandez to his knees, then lifted a rising shot just under the crossbar.
Rolston scored the only goal of the second period on a power play, tying the game 2-2. Fernandez finished with 24 saves.
Notes: Pisani earned his first point in more than a month. His previous goal was on Feb. 6 against Anaheim. … It was the first time in 13 games that Minnesota’s top-ranked penalty kill allowed more than one power-play goal in a game. … Shortly after Minnesota’s fourth goal, Wild defenseman Daniel Tjarnqvist launched a slap shot that hit the left goal post behind Roloson. The goal judge flipped the red light on, but play continued. After a review, it was ruled the puck didn’t go in.
AP-ES-03-12-06 2143EST
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