
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -Tyler Arnason had a goal and an assist, and the Colorado Avalanche made Ryan Smyth's return to Edmonton successful with a 4-2 victory over the Oilers on Tuesday night.
Jaroslav Hlinka, Wojtek Wolski and Brett Clark also scored for the Avalanche, who signed Smyth to a five-year, $31.25 million free-agent deal this summer.
Smyth had spent his entire career with Edmonton before leaving a trail of tears when the Oilers traded him to the New York Islanders just before the March trade deadline. He didn't get on the scoresheet, but left with a win.
It was the first road victory in five tries this season for the Avalanche (5-4).
Dustin Penner and Tom Gilbert scored for the Oilers (3-6), who have lost six of seven and are winless in five games against Northwest Division rivals.
Colorado took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period when Arnason stole the puck from defenseman Denis Grebeshkov and went in on a 2-on-1. He chose to shoot and sent a wrister into the top corner past goalie Dwayne Roloson.
The Oilers tied it a couple minutes later on an odd man break. Edmonton rookie Andrew Cogliano fed Penner for a quick shot that got by Peter Budaj.
The sold-out crowd was still cheering that goal when Colorado scored 23 seconds later as a point shot by John-Michael Liles bounced out to Hlinka, who notched his first NHL goal.
The Avalanche took a 3-1 lead with a late first-period goal by Wolski. He sneaked a puck under a sprawling Roloson, who was trying to cover up with the bottom of his pad.
The Oilers cut the deficit to a goal midway through the third as Sam Gagner fed a pass off of Penner's skate to a pinching Gilbert, who blasted the shot into the back of the net.
Clark scored an empty-netter with 18 seconds left to seal the win for Colorado.
Notes: The Oilers honored a teary-eyed Smyth with a video presentation before the game. Smyth, who spent 12 years with Edmonton, was given a standing ovation. ... The Oilers were without D Joni Pitkanen, out indefinitely with a knee injury sustained in Edmonton's previous game against Calgary. Pitkanen will undergo arthroscopic surgery on Friday. Edmonton was already without another key defenseman, Sheldon Souray, expected to miss three more weeks because of a separated shoulder. ... Joe Sakic notched a first-period assist and needs two points to become the eighth NHL player with 1,600.
| Three star selections | |
| 1st: | |
| 2nd: | |
| 3rd: | |
|
Winning Goaltender |
Losing Goaltender |