Craig Anderson stops 25 shots for second shutout of season in Avalanche’s 3-0 win over Oilers

Avs’ Anderson has 25 saves in 3-0 win over Oilers

EDMONTON, Alberta — Craig Anderson stopped 25 shots for his second shutout of the season, leading the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.

Wojtek Wolski had a pair of goals as the Avalanche (9-1-2) won their third in a row and seventh in their last eight. Colorado also improved to 5-0-1 in its last six games away from the Pepsi Center.

The Oilers (6-5-1) have now lost three in a row and have not scored in their last seven periods, stretching to the second period of a 5-2 loss at Calgary on Saturday. Edmonton was then blanked 2-0 at Vancouver on Sunday.

Colorado beat Edmonton goalie Nikolai Khabibulin on its first shot. Shawn Horcoff turned over the puck in front of the Oilers’ net, and it was hammered home by Hejduk for his fifth of the season.

The Oilers committed several turnovers, none more glaring than by defenseman Tom Gilbert with 5 minutes left in the first period. However, Khabibulin bailed out his teammate with a save on a point-blank shot.

Colorado came close to making it a two-goal game with 8 minutes left in the middle period as Scott Hannan fired a shot from the point that rang off the post. That led to a great chance for Edmonton as Gilbert Brule took the puck up ice and cut in on Anderson, but his backhand shot was stopped.

Colorado came close to scoring again 6 minutes into the third as a shot was lying on the goal-line with Ryan O’Reilly and Chris Durno banging at it before Khabibulin covered it up in the nick of time.

The Avalanche finally made it 2-0 midway through the third as Wolski cut in on net and waited for Khabibulin to go down before sliding it into the empty net.

Wolski was then awarded a second goal with the Edmonton net empty when he was hauled down en route to the net by Oilers defender Taylor Chorney.

Oilers defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky left the game early in the third and did not return.

NOTES: The Avalanche confirmed backup goalie Peter Budaj is out with the swine flu and didn’t accompany the team for the start of its four-game trip. Budaj has yet to start a game for Colorado this season with Craig Anderson starting all 12 games this season. … Anderson extended a franchise record for consecutive starts to begin the year and for wins in October. … The Oilers finally had some good news health-wise as Mike Comrie returned to the lineup after sitting out with the flu. … Both teams have a couple veterans back practicing and soon to rejoin their respective clubs from injuries. Avalanche D John-Michael Liles (shoulder) is expected to play during the trip. Edmonton F Fernando Pisani (back) practiced on Monday for the first time since the preseason and expects to be back in a week. … By the time the Avalanche conclude their trip, they will have played 11 of their first 15 games on the road.