Ryan Smyth tied a career-high with one goal and three assists as the Edmonton Oilers outlasted the Columbus Blue Jackets, 8-5 before 16,057 fans at the Skyreach Centre.
"You get on a roll and everybody starts riding the wave," said Smyth, who has five goals and seven assists in his last six games.
"It was a big wave tonight. Everybody was contributing and eight goals were nice to see."
Marty Reasoner upends Andrew Cassels in an 8-5 Oilers win.(CP Photo/John Ulan)
"I thought Gretzky was coming over the boards -- and Kurri," Blue Jackets head coach and general manager Doug MacLean quipped. "I was looking for them."
Todd Marchant contributed two goals and one assist, while Georges Laraque also scored twice for the Oilers, who improved to 4-1-1-0 over their last six outings.
Observed MacLean: "Laraque was unbelievable. If I get a chance to do a coaching clinic this summer, I'll use him in the cycling segment."
Marty Reasoner tries to score on Mark Denis in an 8-5 Oilers win.(CP Photo/John Ulan)
Anson Carter, Marty Reasoner and Mike York added a goal and assist apiece.
Tommy Salo turned aside 11 shots for the victory.
"I don't think any coaches enjoy these types of games," Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish said. "In hindsight, it's positive because a lot guys got launched offensively."
Rick Nash racked up one goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets, losers in just two of their last eight (5-2-1-0).
Ray Whitney and Hannes Hvonen both had a goal and an assist with Mike Sillinger and David Vborny rounding out the scoring.
Grant Marshall managed a pair of assists.
Marc Denis surrendered seven goals on 26 shots before giving way to Jean-Francois Labbe, who stopped all six third-period shots fired at him.
"There were some positives tonight," figured Blue Jackets defenceman Luke Richardson, a ex-Oiler. "We kept trying to come back, but we really dug ourselves a hole tonight.
"The Oilers, were really hungry and they showed it."
Nash lifted his own rebound over Salo for his 10th goal of the season to open the scoring just 1:44 into the contest.
Marchant tied it 1-1 at 16:51, then later took a shot that Smyth deflected for his 18th and a 2-1 lead with 35 seconds left in the first.
Marchant's ninth made it 3-1 a mere 22 seconds into the second, but Sillinger answered with his 10th only 62 seconds later.
Laraque restored Edmonton's two-goal edge on a wrist shot at 3:17, only to watch Whitney do likewise for his 13th on a power play at 7:43.
But York backhanded his 17th between Denis' pads at 11:34 before Laraque counted his second of the game and fifth overall at the 13:17 mark.
"It's nice," Laraque said. "Doing a lot of work in the corners finally paid off.
"That second goal, I'd have to say it was the hardest-working goal I've ever got. I was exhausted."
The Blue Jackets refused to fold, however, as Hyvonen bumped home a rebound for his fourth with one second left in the stanza.
With 5:34 gone in the third, Carter scored his 17th to chase Denis, but David Vyborny's 11th cut the deficit to 7-5 at 9:29.
Marty Reasoner finally closed out the scoring with his sevneth into an empty net with 28 seconds remaining.
with files from Sports Network
