EDMONTON, Alberta -- Dallas Stars head coach Lindy Ruff said it was the best defensive performance his team has put in all year.

Antoine Roussel scored the game winner as the Stars emerged with a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday.

Lauri Korpikoski and Patrick Eaves got the other goals for the Stars (6-6-3), who have won two games in a row after losing six of their previous seven outings.

"I thought we played our best defensive game," Ruff said. "We knew how dangerous (Connor) McDavid was going to be and we tried to pay special attention to him and make sure we limited his inside opportunities. We gave him some outside time, but we didn't give him much inside time. We just knew if we gave him some space he could create some havoc and I thought our guys probably played the best defensive game of the year for us."

Dallas forward Tyler Seguin, who had a pair of assists, said his team really clamped down against Edmonton and in a 4-2 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

"The way we've been defending the last two games that can get you pretty far in this league and win hockey games," he said. "It starts in our end and good things have been happening, we want to keep it going.

"Goalie out, everyone did the job tonight and I thought our goalie made a couple of great saves, he was great tonight and he kept us in there, it was good. It was a good night."

Patrick Maroon and Tyler Pitlick scored in response for the Oilers (9-5-1), who have lost two straight.

Oilers head coach Todd McLellan said his team coming back from a five-game trip is no excuse for coming out flat at home against what should have been a tired Stars team.

"It's a missed opportunity," he said. "Yeah, we just came back from a trip, but that is always used as an excuse when you lose. We come out and play a great game and nobody talks about us just getting back from the road. It's the NHL, you've got to do it. Get over the excuses, show up to the rink ready to play and execute."

Dallas started the game strong, as Jamie Benn spotted Korpikoski open in the slot and he blasted his third goal of the season past Oilers goalie Cam Talbot. The goal came on the first shot of the game, just 28 seconds into the first period.

"We got caught a little dopey," said Oilers defenseman Eric Gryba. "I don't think we were quite ready for the pressure that was going to come. The first shot seems to be going in. It's something we're obviously trying to address."

"This was an opportunity. This was two points we could have had. And we need to have."

Edmonton drew even just three minutes later as Maroon cashed in on the rebound from a Jordan Eberle shot, scoring his sixth on Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen.

The Stars made it 2-1 five minutes into the opening frame, getting a goal from Eaves on a long power play shot from the point.

The Oilers knotted the game up again with just 29 seconds left in the first period, as Pitlick grabbed a loose puck behind the net and then chipped a backhand shot in for his fifth of the season.

Roussel put the Stars back in front thanks to a good feed from Tyler Seguin, beating Talbot with five minutes to play in the second period.

Edmonton had several good chances late in the third, but Lehtonen came up big, ending up with 40 saves on the night.

NOTES: The Oilers remain home to host the New York Rangers on Sunday, while the Stars wrap up a five-game trip in Vancouver, also on Sunday. ... The two teams will play each other again next Saturday in Dallas. ... The Stars were playing their third game in four nights, coming off a 4-2 victory in Calgary on Thursday. ... Lehtonen made his second straight start for Dallas. He and Antti Niemi have split the games this season, each playing in eight prior to the visit to Edmonton. ... Both teams have been hit hard by the injury bug, most notably Dallas, who have six of their top nine forwards out. Injured for the Stars were forwards Mattias Janmark (knee), Cody Eakin (knee), Patrick Sharp (concussion), Ales Hemsky (hip), Jason Spezza (lower body) and Jiri Hudler (illness)... Injured for the Oilers were forwards Drake Caggiula (hip), Matt Hendricks (lower body), Iiro Pakarinen (knee) and Zack Kassian (lower body), as well as defensemen Brandon Davidson (upper body), Mark Fayne (lower body) and Kris Russell (lower body).