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BOX SCORE
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- After a 4½-year absence from the NHL,
Joaquin Gage's appeared to be an easy target for the expansion
Minnesota Wild.
|  | | Doug Weight, left, flips Minnesota's Wes Walz as they come around the crease. |
However, the Edmonton goalie made 23 saves and Bill Guerin had
two assists as the Oilers rallied for a 5-3 victory Sunday over the
Wild. It was Gage's first victory since April 1, 1996.
"Joaquin really played solid right from the start," Edmonton
coach Craig MacTavish said. "He was catching the puck well."
Gage shuffled around in the minor leagues and spent most of last
season with the Canadian national team before re-signing with the
Oilers last summer.
"I calmed down in the third and made the saves," Gage said.
"I was a little bit shaky in the first and second."
Gage was rarely challenged by the Wild's sluggish offense after
the first period, when the Wild had 14 shots and were in complete
control in the offensive zone.
"We came out strong and played a great first period," Wild
coach Jacques Lemaire said. "I think they were a little surprised
at how well we played."
Edmonton was called for five penalties in the first period,
compared with just one for Minnesota.
Ryan Smyth and Doug Weight each had a goal and an assist for
Edmonton, which won its third straight game.
The expansion Wild (0-4-1) are still seeking their first win.
Edmonton's top line of Weight, Guerin and Smyth, which has 19
points in its last three games, came through at 8:53 of the second
period when Smyth scored his third goal of the year.
"They're going to have to do a lot of that all year for us,"
MacTavish said. "We rely fairly heavily on them to carry the bulk
of the offense."
Guerin, who leads the Oilers with nine points, said answering
MacTavish's challenge won't be a problem for him and his linemates.
"I think we're really focused now on the fact that we're going
to have to carry a big load," Guerin said.
With Minnesota's Andy Sutton off for holding, Tom Poti took a
shot from the slot, then Guerin grabbed the rebound in a crowd in
front of the net and Smyth tapped it in.
Weight scored the game-winner at 16:33 of the second period to
give Edmonton a 4-3 lead. Weight, streaking down the left side,
took a pass from Janne Niinimaa and fired it past Wild goalie Jamie
McLennan, who made 23 saves.
Maxim Sushinsky had two goals for the Wild, who unraveled in the
second period. Minnesota held a 14-4 edge in shots in the first
period and took a 2-1 lead. The Wild had 14 shots the rest of the
way.
Sushinsky's goals were his first two of the season.
The Wild had a chance to open a two-goal lead in the first
period when Smyth smothered the puck in front of the Edmonton net.
But Scott Pellerin missed the ensuing penalty shot at 12:01 and the
Oilers had four of the last five goals.
"It was a huge save for us and when Joaquin made that save on
the penalty shot, it just opened up everybody's eyes," MacTavish
said.
Games notes
Taylor Railton, who has visited every NHL arena this year
but one, was at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday. Railton will complete
his mission to see games in all 30 venues on Wednesday at
Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, when the Blue Jackets face the
Avalanche. ... Among team administrators and coaches, the Wild have
a 20-15 edge in Stanley Cup wins. For the Oilers, general manager
Kevin Lowe has six, MacTavish has four and assistant coach Charlie
Huddy has five. For Minnesota, general manager Doug Risebrough has
five cup wins, coach Jaques Lemaire has 11 and assistant coach
Mario Tremblay has four.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Edmonton Clubhouse
Minnesota Clubhouse
RECAPS
Edmonton 5
Minnesota 3
Calgary 4
Detroit 2
Tampa Bay 5
Atlanta 2
Chicago 2
Columbus 1
Phoenix 6
Los Angeles 5
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Oilers' Joaquin Gage rejects Wild's Scott Pellerin penalty shot in the first period.
avi: 933 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Doug Weight scores for Edmonton against Minnesota.
avi: 724 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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