Panthers Deadlock Oilers

Even with a tie, the Edmonton Oilers still lost.

Rem Murray scored both goals for the Oilers, but was sidelined indefinitely after injuring his right knee Wednesday night in a 2-2 tie with the Florida Panthers.

"It's pretty frustrating," Oilers center Todd Marchant said. "It's the first time in four years we have had a healthy lineup. It's frustrating for him. It's frustrating for us because he scored three goals in two games."

The Oilers are unbeaten in their last three games.

Bill Guerin rejoined the lineup after sitting out the first 11 games in a contract dispute. Guerin, who signed a two-year contract Tuesday, had an assist on Murray's first goal.

"It's terrible," Guerin said of Murray's latest injury. "Especially coming off an injury and contributing the way he has in the last two games."

Oilers coach Kevin Lowe said the injury was disappointing.

"Every team goes through it," he said. "We've got some young guys We'll give them a chance. Injuries are part of the game."

Murray is expected to have surgery by the end of the week on the medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Ray Whitney and Pavel Bure scored for Florida, which is winless in three games.

While on a power play at 6:47 of the first period, Murray jammed the puck behind a sprawling Trevor Kidd from the side of the net.

Less than five minutes later, Murray scored his third goal of the season when Christian Laflamme fed him a pass from the corner, and Murray put a quick shot past Kidd from in front.

Bure opened the scoring when he slipped behind the Oilers' defense and sped in alone, deking Tommy Salo at 2:18 of the first for his sixth goal in eight games.

Florida coach Terry Murray felt the early goal had a negative effect on his team's style.

"We got completely away from our game because we scored that goal early," he said. "We got too isolated, too spread out. They took advantage of it."

Whitney tied it on a power play 42 seconds into the third on a pass from Robert Svehla as the Panthers controlled play in Edmonton's end during a delayed penalty call to Jason Smith.

Bill Guerin, in the Oilers' lineup after signing a two-year contract Tuesday, assisted on Murray's first goal.

The Oilers assigned rookie left wing Paul Comrie to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League to make room for Guerin.

Edmonton outshot Florida 23-21.

©1999 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed