EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) - Raffi Torres knows the key to the Edmonton Oilers' second-line success.
``Confidence,'' Torres said. ``We're reading off each other and having some fun out there.''
Torres had a goal and an assist, linemate Jarret Stoll scored two goals and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3 on Thursday night for their fourth victory in five games.
Marty Reasoner and Ryan Smyth also scored for Edmonton, and Jussi Markkanen made 23 saves.
``You've got to get dirty sometimes,'' Stoll said. ``Tonight there was a couple of rebound goals, and that's what we need. It's a good step forward.''
Stoll and Reasoner scored 2 minutes apart in the first period. Stoll then drove a long slap shot past Alex Auld in the third, ending the goalie's night after he allowed five goals on 28 shots.
``To point the finger at any one particular player wouldn't be right,'' Canucks coach Marc Crawford said.
Torres converted on a poor clearing attempt from Canucks defenseman Wade Brookbank to give him six points in his last four games. The Oilers (15-11-1-0) improved to 2-0 against the Canucks this season.
Josh Green, Daniel Sedin and Anson Carter scored for the Canucks (16-9-1-1), who have lost three straight road games. Mattias Ohlund and Henrik Sedin each finished with two assists for Vancouver, which dropped to 5-8-1-1 away from home.
``It's definitely something we need to work on - our road record,'' Green said. ``You have to be good on the road. We have to get better.''
The Canucks also fell to 0-4 in the second of back-to-back games after the Northwest Division leaders beat Colorado 5-2 at home Wednesday.
``It's the mental breakdowns,'' said Vancouver center Brendan Morrison, held to three shots due to steady defensive work throughout the night by Oilers center Mike Peca.
Green wristed a shot that required video review past Markkanen on the Canucks' first shot of the game 18 seconds in. The first period ended without a penalty.
Smyth took linemate Ales Hemsky's pass to put a soft backhand past Auld in the second for a 3-1 Oilers lead before Torres and Stoll put the game away in the third.
``We didn't really work hard enough to get those ugly goals,'' Canucks captain Markus Naslund said. ``It came down to work ethic, and I thought they worked harder.''
Notes: Edmonton was 9-5-0 in November. ... Oilers forward Shawn Horcoff hasn't scored in 13 games. ... The Oilers end a three-game homestand Saturday against Boston. ... The Bruins are in Vancouver on Sunday.
