Edmonton's Zack Stortini, right, sends Jannik Hansen of the Vancouver Canucks to the ice in Saturday's game. (Jimmy Jeong/Canadian Press)

Saturday night's all right for Dwayne Roloson, who stopped 23 shots in a 3-0 shutout win for the Edmonton Oilers over the Vancouver Canucks.

Roloson had not played since last Saturday, also on Hockey Night in Canada, when he was brilliant with 41 saves in the team's overtime win in San Jose.

"Totally different [from last week]," said Roloson. "We kept them to the outside all night long. Anything they got in the slot, guys were blocking [shots]."

He recorded his 23rd career shutout and his first since the 2006-07 season.

Dustin Penner's goal just 49 seconds in would hold up, but for good measure Ales Hemsky scored late in the second and Robert Nilsson applied the coup de grace in the third.

The Oilers have won four of their last five, rebounding from a shutout loss at home to Florida on Thursday. The club at least temporarily moved out of the Northwest Division basement, nudging ahead of Colorado.

"We're just doing the simple things to win hockey games," said Roloson. "We've gotta start going to the net a little bit harder, which we did tonight."

Edmonton improved to 4-4-2 at home in the fight-filled affair.

The teams will renew pleasantries on Wednesday but not before each play in the interim. Vancouver host Florida on Sunday, with the Oilers back at Rexall Place two nights later against Chicago.

Curtis Sanford made 23 saves for Vancouver, who remain tied with Calgary atop the Northwest.

"I don't really have one good positive thing to say about this game," said Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. "We got outplayed, we got out-everythinged in all areas.

"They deserved to win hands down and they did."

Penner drove down the right wing early and backhanded a puck that snuck between Sanford's body and the post. After a tough start, Penner now has three goals and three assists in his last five games.

Roloson faced just four shots in the first period, with Daniel Sedin and Kevin Bieksa giving him moderate tests.

"That's the toughest part, trying to stay in the game and trying to stay sharp," said Roloson. "I didn't feel as sharp tonight as I did in San Jose.

Mason Raymond had a chance early in the second as the Canucks picked up the intensity slightly but couldn't find the mark.

Mad scramble

Edmonton nearly went up two after a mad scramble late in the period, with Shawn Horcoff's attempt skidding through the crease and off the post

Hemsky made it 2-0 when he intercepted a Ryan Kesler pass and benefited from Alex Burrows falling on the play. The Oilers forward took off with teammates up ice on an odd-man rush, burying his shot to the short side at the 18:27 mark.

Hemsky has five goals in his last eight games.

Oilers defenceman Sheldon Souray hurt two Canucks on the period's final play when his bullet slapshot went off the arm of Burrows before hitting Bieksa in the side of the face.

"We had two chances after 40 minutes, that's quite impressive," Vigneault said facetiously of his struggling offence. "That tells you a lot about our game tonight."

Lucky bounce

Edmonton were very lucky on the play that put them up by three goals. Roloson got caught badly out of position but Kesler's pass attempt to the point ended up skidding to near centre, where Nilsson took off on a breakaway.

Nilsson, who missed the last four with a shoulder injury, beat Sanford low.

"It was a complete mess-up on my part," said a laughing Roloson.

"Thanks for Mr. Kesler there to pass it to him," he added.

Canucks rearguard Alex Edler fired a shot from the point on Roloson late, but he turned it aside like the others.

The only negative for Edmonton was a power play that went 0-for-9, including a two-man advantage early in the third when the outcome was still in doubt.

There were three fights on the night, all within the first 25 minutes. Zack Stortini of the Oilers and Darcy Hordichuk got things started early in the first; Vancouver's Rob Davison and Jason Strudwick dropped their gloves just under three minutes later; and Kyle Brodziak of the home side and Shane O'Brien tussled early in the second.

"We had a plan before, to come out physical and dictate this game," said Oilers defenceman Tom Gilbert. "The first five minutes of the game we came out real strong in their end … and that just got us jump-started. "

The Canucks ended their lengthy road trip with a 2-4-1 ledger.

Vancouver was a 6-3 winner in the only previous meeting between the clubs this season, on Oct. 25.