GAME STORY: Oilers 7, Flames 5

EDMONTON, AB - Much like the script of any Battle of Alberta, the second meeting of the season between the Oilers and Flames didn't deviate from the usual high-flying action and intensity that ensues when the two clubs meet.

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And while the Oilers offence showed up in droves, the Flames matched it in the final frame, whereafter rallying for four-straight, they were able to pull within one with eight minutes remaining, despite trailing 6-1 early in the third.
The Oilers did pull out the eventual 7-5 victory during Hockey Night in Canada action at the Saddledome on Saturday. but it wasn't without late-game fireworks
That vintage Battle of Alberta intensity was apparent from the get-go and resulted in a minor penalty for each side in the opening minutes of the game. They were followed up moments later with a prime opportunity for the Flames to strike first when Oscar Klefbom got nabbed for high-sticking and had to sit for four, giving Calgary nearly three minutes with the man-advantage once the other minors expired. But it was the Oilers penalty kill, despite its recent struggles and success rate, that mitigated Calgary's power play enough to escape unscathed.
The Oilers sit last in the league on the PK, but it was their performance down a man that proved the difference-maker vs. Calgary.
"I thought we provided momentum early on with that four-minute kill and the shorthanded goal. When we needed that kill (in the third) we got it. When you're 31st in the league, you can't look at percentages, you just have to kill that next one. The guys stuck with and got the kill when we needed it," said Letestu.
From the initial kill of the high-sticking major in the first period, momentum would swing the Oilers when Jesse Puljujarvi jumped all over a Drake Caggiula rebound in front to open the scoring at 10:29 of the opening frame.
Minutes later it looked as though the Oilers had doubled their lead when Pat Maroon deposited a Mark Letestu pass on the power play, but was called back after video review when it was deemed a result of a kicking motion.

But it didn't take long for the Oilers to find another one when a point-shot from Eric Gryba glanced off a waiting Puljujarvi in front and past Mike Smith for the Finn's fourth goal of the year and second of the period to give Edmonton the early 2-0 lead.
The pressure continued on an ensuing Oilers power play, but a misplay along the boards sprung the Flames on a 2-on-1 where Michael Frolik would finish on a pass from Mikael Backlund.
Again, it didn't take long for the Oilers to respond, when minutes later, a Jujhar Khaira wrister from the slot beat Smith to make it 3-1 and restore Edmonton's two-goal cushion heading into the first intermission. The tally was Khaira's third of the season and came on the back of his first multi-point night when he collected two helpers versus Toronto on Thursday.
Special teams continued to be the theme du jour in the second, but not in usual fashion, as it was the Oilers who were the beneficiary of the game's second shorthanded tally courtesy of a Letestu breakaway just three minutes into second to give them a 4-1 lead. It was one of three Oilers breakaways in the opening ten minutes of the middle frame.
The Oilers added to their lead to end the second with a Milan Lucic tip-in and got another from Maroon when Flames goaltender David Rittich, in relief for Smith, misplayed the puck behind his own net and the forward was able to slide it in, making it 6-1 Edmonton less than two minutes into the third.

The Flames wouldn't go down easy, though. After a Sam Bennett tally to make it 6-2, some rough stuff minutes later led to a Maroon roughing penalty and on the ensuing power play, Calgary capitalized again to pull them within three. Two more from the Flames in under a minute meant the Oilers were sitting with a 6-5 lead with eight minutes remaining.
And it was the Oilers penalty kill, albeit struggling of late, that saved the day when Letestu had to sit for interference with six minutes to play and the Flames within one. The Oilers killed it off and a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins pass on a 2-on-1 hit the stick of a sprawled TJ Brodie and past Rittich gave Edmonton the 7-5 lead which they carried to the final buzzer.
Despite the late-game push from the Flames to make things interesting, the Oilers were able to draw the positives from a particularly strong offensive performance up and down the lineup, with six different skaters lighting the lamp.
"It was nice to get a lot of offence, obviously we needed just about everyone tonight. It's good that the last few games we've gotten contributions from just about everywhere, last year that was one of our calling cards so it's nice to get a lot of offence but we'd like to tighten it up a little bit (defensively)," said Letestu.