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 Pouliot signed a five-year, $20 million contract with the
Edmonton Oilers during the offseason and in his first game back at
Madison Square Garden, he made his former team pay.
Pouliot's second goal of the season was the winner as the Oilers
emerged from a dominant performance with a 3-1 victory Sunday night.
As much the Oilers controlled play -- they outshot the Rangers 33-21
-- it didn't hurt that Pouliot got a little lucky on his goal.
"I actually fanned on that shot and it was perfect to the
five-hole," Pouliot admitted. "I wasn't going there at all. (Goalie
Henrik Lundqvist) got surprised with that one and it surprised
myself too. It's tough to score on that guy and I got a lucky
bounce."
When asked if he intended to shoot to the glove side, Pouliot said:
"Yeah, but he was already there so I'm actually glad I fanned on
that one."
The Oilers have won two straight and are 6-4-0 since starting the
season 0-4-1. Goaltender Viktor Fasth has been in net for the past
two wins and stopped 20 shots on a relatively easy night.
 "The boys played incredible tonight," Fasth said. "I think we played
a really good game. It's nice to see. I felt really good out there."
Oilers coach Dallas Eakins was particularly pleased with how his
team protected a lead. Pouliot put the Oilers ahead 2-1 at 8:29 of
the second period and continued to assert themselves until right
winger Teddy Purcell scored into an empty net with 1:27 to seal the
victory.
The Oilers held the Rangers without a shot on goal for 13:59 between
the second and third periods.
"We had success throughout the game playing an aggressive game and
other than tweaking it just a tiny bit, our guys stayed with that
aggression," Eakins said. "When you start getting a result like
that, there's not that negative thought in your head like something
bad is going to happen."
The Rangers delayed the opening of their locker room following the
game for several minutes. Players were unhappy with their
performance coming off a 5-4 road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on
Saturday night. Despite trailing throughout the second half of
Sunday's game, they couldn't muster much of an attack.
"Our team game was horrible tonight," Rangers defenseman Marc Staal
said.
"We wanted to respond better. We came out flat and then they kept
coming at us. We were playing a lot of shifts in our own end and
when we got it out, we were dumping it and they were coming right
back at us with speed."
"When the energy is not there, it's hard to play this game," said
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who kept his team close by
making 30 saves. "We need to get ourselves going."
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Oilers center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins put his team on top 1-0 early in
the first period with his fifth goal of the season. Both
Nugent-Hopkins and Pouliot had a goal and an assist, with each
setting up the other's goals.
Rangers left winger Carl Hagelin answered later in the first period
with his fourth goal of the season, snapping a shot that deflected
off the stick of Oilers center Boyd Gordon and past Fasth to make it
1-1.
But the Oilers' territorial dominance led Pouliot's second-period
goal and kept the Rangers (6-6-2), who have lost four of five, at
bay for most of the third period.
Pouliot wasn't looking for revenge or anything like that; all he
wanted was the victory.
"I always loved playing here and last year was awesome," Pouliot
said. "Coming back here and playing against those guys that I had a
great time with is going to push you a little more. We want to do
well. We came out with a win, so that's huge for us.
"Two wins in a row. We have to keep it going."
NOTES: Oilers D Andrew Ference returned after a league-imposed
three-game suspension. He was plus-3 in 22:13 of ice time. ... To
make room for Ference, the Oilers scratched D Martin Marincin. ...
Oilers LW Taylor Hall (knee) missed his fourth consecutive game.
It's possible he could resume skating as early as Monday. ... After
going to Nashville on Tuesday, the Oilers will begin a five-game
homestand. ... Rangers D Ryan McDonagh (shoulder), D Dan Boyle
(hand) and D John Moore (suspension) did not play. Moore will be
eligible to return Tuesday for a home game vs. Pittsburgh. ... This
game begins a stretch of five of six games at home for the Rangers.
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