Oilers Down Red Wings to Even Series

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18 years ago

The Edmonton Oilers rallied late in the second period, scoring twice to take a 3-2 lead over the Detroit Red Wings and not allowing a goal in the third to tie the series at one.

With the Oilers trailing, 2-1, Michael Peca forced a turnover behind the Detroit goal and got the puck out to Fernando Pisani, who slipped it between the post and Detroit goalie Manny Legace’s pad to even the game

Just 57 seconds later, defenseman Chris Pronger stole the puck from Jason Williams at the Detroit blue line and sent a pass to rookie Brad Winchester. From the slot, Winchester put a wrist shot over Legace’s glove to give Edmonton the lead.

The Oilers bounced back from their Game One loss in double-overtime with the first goal of the game, their first of the series at even strength, when Pronger sent a blast from the blue line past Legace while the teams skated four-on-four with 7:28 remaining in the first.

The Red Wings got on the board with 5:10 remaining in the opening period. Jason Williams tried to send the puck out front from behind the goal but the puck was bounced back to him. He kicked it from one skate to the other and move it toward the net, where it bounced off the post, then hit Edmonton netminder Dwayne Roloson’s skate and went back into the net.

Henrik Zetterberg put Detroit in front at 7:11 of the second with a power play goal. A shot from the point deflected off of Roloson’s arm and bounced over the Edmonton goalie as Zetterberg skated throught he crease behind him. Zetterberg picked up the loose puck and threw it into the net.

In the game’s closing seconds, Jarret Stoll added an empty-net goal for Edmonton.

Legace finished the game with 20 saves on 23 shots while Roloson stopped 33 of the 35 that he faced.

The Red Wings scored once on their four power play chances and held Edmonton to no goals on three chances with the man-advantage.

The series now shifts to Edmonton for Game Three on Tuesday night.

Pavel Datsyk returned to the Detroit lineup after missing Game One with a leg injury.