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DENVER (AP) -Sam Gagner had three goals and an assist to help the Edmonton Oilers beat the Colorado Avalanche 8-1 on Thursday night.

The eight goals were a season high for Edmonton and also the most allowed by Colorado this year.

Ethan Moreau, Shawn Horcoff, Fernando Pisani, Ales Kotalik and Sheldon Souray also scored, and Dwayne Roloson, making his franchise-record 26th straight start, made 16 saves in the third period and finished with 26.

With the victory, the Oilers moved into seventh place in the Western Conference - a point ahead of Nashville. The Predators played at San Jose in a late game.

Cody McLeod scored for Colorado, which moved closer to being eliminated from playoff contention for only the second time in 13 seasons since moving from Quebec to Colorado. With 10 games left, the Avs are 12 points out of playoff contention.

Colorado, playing without three injured defensemen and top-line center Paul Stastny (foot), struggled to find any offense, taking only 11 shots through two periods.

Despite being outshot 16-8 in the third period, the Oilers scored four times in the final 11 minutes to cruise past their Northwest Division rivals.

Leading 2-1 after the first period, the Oilers broke the game open with goals on consecutive shots late in the second. Pisani scored on a wicked one-timer through traffic at 14:35, and Gagner poked home a shot from near the right goal post to put Edmonton up 4-1 at 15:39.

Playing without Stastny, forward Darcy Tucker (back) and defensemen Adam Foote (head), Ruslan Salei (foot) and Daniel Tjarnqvist (forehead), the Avalanche never threatened in the final period.

Kotalik, Gagner and Souray added to Colorado goalie Peter Budaj's forgettable night, scoring four times in a 7:58 span. Budaj, who had allowed six goals in his previous five starts, finished with 16 saves.

The Avalanche tied the game 1-1 when McLeod scored from a tough angle near the bottom of the right faceoff circle, but Edmonton took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission when Horcoff scored from in close on a power play at 9:38.

Notes: Horcoff's goal gave him 331 career points and moved him into a tie with Oilers coach Craig MacTavish for 13th on the Edmonton career list. ... Gagner extended his points streak to five games (four goals, four assists). ... Avalanche rookie Chris Stewart sustained a head injury in the second period and did not return. ... Edmonton is 20-0-1 when leading after two periods.