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Tickets: Mon. vs. Flyers
Rink Notes: November 17
Play of the Week: Jones' Goal
Gallery: vs. EDM (11-08-09)
Highlights: vs. EDM (11-08-09)

Avalanche-Oilers Preview

Tonight's game will be broadcast on Altitude, TSN and Mile High Sports Radio AM 1510.

The Colorado Avalanche's impressive start to the season was spurred by the strong play of the team's defense and goaltender Craig Anderson.

Another strong defensive effort may have been just what they needed to snap out of a rough stretch.

The Avalanche may have Anderson back in net Wednesday night when the club continues its road trip through Western Canada against the Edmonton Oilers.

Colorado (13-5-3) opened the season by going 10-1-2 to build a seven-point Northwest Division lead. Anderson started all 13 of those games, posting a 1.97 goals-against average with two shutouts - one shy of his total from all of last season with Florida.

The Avalanche, however, dropped five of its following seven games as its lead over second-place Calgary dwindled to one point. Anderson went 1-4-1 with a 3.46 GAA over that span, and got pulled for the first time with his new club after giving up four goals on 22 shots in two periods of an 8-2 loss to Vancouver on Saturday.

Anderson bounced back and came up big against the Flames on Tuesday, stopping 34 shots - including all 11 he faced in the third period - while the Avs blocked 24 more en route to a 3-2 victory to open this three-game trip.

"I'm there for my teammates," Anderson said. "There's going to be breakdowns, you've got to make the save for that and keep the score 3-2."

Anderson did not fare well in his last game against the Oilers (8-10-3) on Nov. 8, making 27 saves in a 5-3 home loss. However, he's recorded shutouts while totaling 66 saves in his last two games at Edmonton, including a 3-0 win Oct. 27.

If the Avalanche opts to rest Anderson, backup Peter Budaj would make his second start of the season and first since a 4-1 win over Phoenix on Nov. 4. He owns a 7-2-1 record with a 2.73 GAA in 10 games at Rexall Place.

Colorado, which has won its last three visits to Edmonton, concludes this trip Friday in Vancouver before returning home for three of their following four contests.

This game opens a five-game homestand for the Oilers, who are 2-8-2 since an impressive 6-2-1 start to the season. They've been held to fewer than three goals in nine of their last 12 games, getting shut out three times in that stretch.

Edmonton concluded a 1-2-2 road trip Monday night with a 3-2 shootout loss at Columbus, leaving coach Pat Quinn searching for positives to take away from his club's fourth consecutive defeat.

"We had two real good periods," Quinn said. "The second period we had some turnovers and played too much in our zone. We had some good efforts from our players and we will take positives out of that."

A return home might be just what the Oilers need, as they're 6-3-1 at Rexall Place.

Dustin Penner leads the Oilers with 12 goals and 23 points. He's been at his best in Edmonton, with seven goals and seven assists in 10 games there.

The left wing was held without a point and missed his shootout attempt Monday. That came after he had three goals over his previous four games, including a goal and an assist in the win at Colorado on Nov. 8.