NHL: Edmonton 6, Detroit 5 (SO)

EDMONTON, Alberta, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Patrick O'Sullivan scored the only goal of the shootout Thursday, giving the Edmonton Oilers a wild 6-5 victory over Detroit.

Edmonton blew the four-goal lead it had built at the midway point of the second period but eventually managed to halt a three-game losing streak.

Detroit's Jimmy Howard and Edmonton's Nikolai Khabibulin combined to allow 10 goals on 78 shots through regulation and overtime, but it was Khabibulin who was perfect in the shootout.

After two scoreless rounds, O'Sullivan put one past Howard. Henrik Zetterberg, who had started the Detroit comeback late in the second period, then missed his shootout attempt to leave the Oilers with the win.

Ales Hemsky scored twice for Edmonton while the Oilers were jumping to a 4-0 lead.

Detroit continued to struggle with its goaltending. Howard was filling in for Chris Osgood, who has allowed an average of 3.4 goals this season in his eight starts.

Osgood gave up two goals on four shots before being removed seven minutes into Detroit's previous outing against Vancouver.