The Vancouver Canucks close out 2016 in style, winning their third in a row against a Pacific Division rival by defeating the Edmonton Oilers in a shootout.
The NHL season is finishing it’s third month, and the Vancouver Canucks finally have their second three-game winning streak of the season.
After opening up the season 4-0, the Canucks endured some tough times for the next eight weeks. But in the final week of this year, they defeated the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, and now the Edmonton Oilers.
Entering this game, the Canucks were 4-12-1 on the road. But watching this game you would hardly have guessed that — Vancouver came out with a determined road effort.
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In the first period, the teams traded chances at even strength. The Oilers first power play looked dangerous, but Jacob Markstrom turned aside all six Oilers shots.
Markus Granlund believed he had the game’s opening goal. However, the Oilers challenged and the officials ruled that Brandon Sutter had interefered with Cam Talbot on the shot. Coach’s challenges just haven’t been going Vancouver’s way lately.
Canucks Score First, Again
The Canucks stuck to the gameplan in the second period, though, and got a second chance at the first goal. Alexandre Burrows forced an Eric Gryba turnover in the Oilers zone, and the puck landed on the stick of Bo Horvat. After a give-and-go with Sven Baertschi the puck wound up with Burrows, who buried it.
Yet again, the Oilers challenged the goal for goaltender intereference. This time though, the officials took the Canucks’ side, and the goal stood:
Second #Canucks goal of the night makes it 1-0 Vancouver with 13 mins to play in the 2nd period. Burrows. pic.twitter.com/5GZjVgzTJZ
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 1, 2017
Drake Caggiula, former teammate of Troy Stecher and Brock Boeser at the University of North Dakota, tied the game for the Oilers.
The Canucks pulled ahead once more in the third period. Again, the Baertschi-Horvat-Burrows line pulled through:
Baertschi scores on his own rebound, hopefully that's allowed. 😘 pic.twitter.com/PPWoMSS5Ed
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 1, 2017
That is Baertschi’s eighth goal of the year.
Markstrom was busy tonight, facing 44 shots in total. It looked like he and the Canucks might hold on for the regulation win, but the referees had other ideas. With two minutes left, Daniel Sedin was called for a hooking penalty when he lifted the stick of Jordan Eberle.
The call was a bit puzzling, but it gave the Oilers the chance they needed. Captain Connor McDavid tied the game.
Overtime was a wide open affair. The teams combined for 13 total shots, but could not beat Markstrom or Talbot.
In the shootout, Horvat scored the winner, while Markstrom stopped all three Oilers shooters. The Canucks walked away with their third straight win!
Final Score:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT1 | T | |
| Oilers | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Canucks | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Canucks Player of the Game:
That’s all she wrote for the year 2016. The Canucks will ring in the new year on the flight home from Edmonton. After that, they’ll open up 2017 with a three game homestand next week.
Next: 3 Numbers Which Must Improve in 2017
For the first time since the start of the year, the Vancouver Canucks have earned three straight wins. So long, 2016. Happy New Year, everyone!