EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -The Edmonton Oilers finally may have discovered a way to get their lackluster power play going.
Shawn Horcoff's shootout goal lifted the Oilers out of the Western Conference basement with a 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.
Horcoff, Tom Gilbert, Marty Reasoner and Dustin Penner scored in regulation as Edmonton snapped a two-game losing streak.
Alexandre Burrows, Brad Isbister, Alexander Edler and Markus Naslund had goals for Vancouver.
The win kicked off a crucial six-game homestand for Edmonton (8-12-1), which moved one point ahead of Phoenix and out of last in the West.
But even bigger than the win itself may have been finally discovering a way to score with the man advantage after scoring three power-play goals in the game. The Oilers came into Tuesday's game dead last in the league on the power play.
"It's a huge relief for us," said Horcoff. "We've been moving it pretty well but we obviously weren't getting the results. We worked very hard on it in practice and were finally able to do it tonight.
"It's a huge win for us. I thought tonight was by far our best team effort of the season. We just wouldn't be denied."
The Canucks had a two-game winning streak snapped but they have recorded points in their last seven outings. It was also just their second loss to a Northwest Division opponent in 10 games, the other a 1-0 shootout loss at home to Edmonton last Wednesday.
"People were complaining about that 0-0 game going into the shootout last week so they got more for their money tonight, I guess," said Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo, who felt his team was fortunate to get to the extra session. "I don't think we deserved any points tonight the way we played. We'll take the point and run."
The teams entered the third period tied 3-3 before Vancouver took its first lead 7 1/2 minutes in during a power play as Brendan Morrison made a long cross-ice pass to Naslund, whose chip shot beat goalie Mathieu Garon high.
But the Oilers were able to tie it with a man-advantage goal of their own less than a minute later. Horcoff made a nice touch pass to Penner stationed in front and he put it through the legs of Luongo to make it 4-4. It was the third power-play goal of the night for the Oilers, who entered the game with just seven on the season.
"Scoring three goals on the power play, that's the game right there," said Oiler forward Ales Hemsky. "Hopefully this continues. You have to be able to score on the power play. That's so important in this game right now."
The Oilers got to Luongo early with a power-play goal. Just 2:35 in, Geoff Sanderson sent the puck from behind the goal line to Gilbert, who was pinching deep. He tapped the puck in for a 1-0 Edmonton lead.
The Oilers made it 2-0 with just over five minutes to go in the period as Kyle Brodziak sent a pass toward the net with Reasoner crashing. Reasoner directed the puck toward the goal, and the shot bounced off defender Edler's skate and in.
Vancouver got a big break late in the period when Denis Grebeshkov gave up the puck at the Canucks blue line. Burrows streaked in and faked Garon for a short-handed goal.
Edmonton got the goal back on the same power play when Aaron Miller fanned on a clearing attempt. Horcoff pounced on the puck and snapped a shot into the top corner with just 13 seconds remaining in the first to give the Oilers a 3-1 lead.
Vancouver cut the deficit to a goal just 44 seconds into the second. Ryan Kesler broke in on the Oilers net but lost the puck while trying to shoot. Isbister was trailing directly behind Kesler and used him as a screen to beat Garon to the glove side.
The Oilers had the bulk of the quality chances in the second as Luongo held his team in it, but the Canucks struck next. With four minutes remaining, Edler's point shot trickled behind Garon, who had Henrik Sedin draped all over him in the crease, to tie it at 3 heading into the third.
Edmonton outshot Vancouver 14-4 in the second and 25-11 through the first 40 minutes.
