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The Oilers return home for the final two games of the season, beginning Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The game can be seen on Sportsnet and heard on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED. Puck drop is 7:08 p.m. MDT.
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Inside The Oilers Blog
It was the second time this season a Wild player accounted for two goals vs. Edmonton as defenceman Matt Dumba lit the lamp twice during the 3-2 Oilers win on Dec. 16 also at Xcel Energy Center.
"We couldn't solve Dubnyk tonight," said Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse, who ended up playing 26:46 after both Andrej Sekera and Yohann Auvitu left the game with injures, forcing the team to roll with just four blueliners. "But I think we battled."
A tough break cost the Oilers the game's opening goal at the 3:33 mark of the first period, as they had been dictating the pace early on until Parise found the back of the net to give the Wild a 1-0 lead.
Edmonton was set up in the attacking zone and Adam Larsson received a pass at the point, but the puck got tied up in his skates, Parise poked it into the neutral zone and burst in on a two-on-one rush. With Darnell Nurse guarding the pass option to Mikael Granlund, Parise called his own number and beat Cam Talbot five-hole for his 14th of the season.
Talbot got some revenge on the Wild just before the midway mark of the first period as he absolutely robbed Granlund with a pad save up against the post to keep it a one-goal game.
The Oilers got their best chance of the period from captain Connor McDavid with 4:14 to go as he got free in tight on Dubnyk but the Minnesota goalie denied him with the pad as he tried to tuck it short side.
Parise struck again for his second of the night with 11:36 remaining in the middle frame as the Wild entered the zone with a four-on-three attack. Defenceman Jonas Brodin had jumped up in the rush and put a shot on net, which Talbot stopped with his pad, but Parise was right there for the rebound for his 15th.
Much like the first period, the Oilers had controlled the pace prior to the goal, as Brodin's initial attempt and Parise's tally were the Wild's first two shots of the frame.
The Oilers power play continued to be a pain point for the team as they were unsuccessful on two opportunities against the Wild, two days after going 0-for-5 during Saturday's Battle of Alberta in Calgary.
"We were unable to gain some momentum or anything off the power play," said Oilers forward Milan Lucic. "We definitely had opportunities to make this a good road trip and we were unable to do that."
Minnesota added an empty-netter from Joel Eriksson Ek in the third to complete the win. Talbot had a strong night between the pipes with 37 saves, allowing just five goals in the third games vs. Minnesota this season.
"It was a good bounce-back game for him," Head Coach Todd McLellan said of Talbot's effort, two nights removed from getting pulled during the first period against the Flames. "The good thing about Cam is he's been able to bounce back from games… That's why we chose to play him tonight to give him that opportunity. I thought he made some tremendous saves, especially late in the third when we were playing in our end a little too much."
The Oilers head home for their final two games of the 2017-18 season as they host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday at Rogers Place, followed by Henrik and Daniel Sedin playing their final NHL game as the Vancouver Canucks visit for game 82 on Saturday.
