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  Friday, Nov. 3 9:00pm ET
Salo gets third shutout with Oilers
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -- Tommy Salo is already paying dividends for the Edmonton Oilers.

One day after signing a new contract, Salo made 20 saves for his first shutout since March 13 and Janne Niinimaa scored the game-winner early in the third period as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Minnesota Wild 3-0 Friday night.

"It was nice for Tommy to get the shutout tonight," Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said. "He was the one guy that really came to play early, and kept us in it. They had some good opportunities, but Tommy made some big saves.

"It wasn't a gimme shutout by any stretch."

Salo agreed Thursday to a three-year $10.4 million contract with the Oilers, for which he has three career shutouts.

"It was a nice win for us," Salo said. "It was slow in the first two periods, but in the third period, we scored big goals and that was the difference.

"There was not too much to do. We played really solid defense and that was the key."

The game was scoreless after two periods, but Niinimaa broke through at 4:18 of the third. He one-timed a point shot that just slid by the right pad of Wild goalie Jamie McLennan.

Ryan Smyth and Dan Cleary also scored for the Oilers, who have won three straight.

Minnesota lost for the third time in four games.

"Every game, you want to keep it close so you give yourself a chance to win," said Wild forward Jim Dowd, a former Oilers player. "On the road, you go into the third period 0-0, that's great, but we just have to keep our heads up and keep working."

Both teams started slow and managed just six shots each in the opening period. Things didn't get much better in the second as Minnesota had another six shots, while the Oilers managed just three.

"Obviously, they're a very defensive hockey club and they play well in their own zone," Smyth said. "They don't give up a lot of scoring chances -- you can see that on the shot clock."

Minnesota assistant captain Scott Pellerin was ejected in the first period for checking Oilers defenseman Igor Ulanov into the boards from behind.

Pellerin was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct, which carries the automatic ejection.

Doug Weight and Bill Guerin assisted on Smyth's goal. The trio has combined for 44 points (18-26-44) in Edmonton's first 15 games.

Both teams were 0-for-5 on the power play.

"If we would be able to get some goals on the power play, we would maybe play a little differently," Minnesota coach Jacques Lemaire said. "Because we're not scoring that much on the power play, and 5-on-5, then we have to be careful. That's the only way we can stay in the games."

Game notes
Three members of the Oilers are on the All-Star ballot. Salo, the winning goalie in last year's game, is on the ballot for the World team. Weight and Guerin are listed on the North American ballot. ... The expansion Wild fell to 2-8-3-0. ... Oilers forward Ethan Moreau played his first game of the season after having shoulder surgery.
 


ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard

Minnesota Clubhouse

Edmonton Clubhouse


Oilers net goalie Salo to three-year, $10.4M extension


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