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Canucks catch Oilers in OT

A couple of late power-play goals kept the Edmonton Oilers’ recent run of futility intact.
Lubomir Visnovsky, Mason Raymond
Edmonton Oiler Lubomir Visnovsky is knocked down by Vancouver Canuck Mason Raymond during the Canucks 3-2 win Wednesday.

Canucks 3 Oilers 2 (OT)

EDMONTON — A couple of late power-play goals kept the Edmonton Oilers’ recent run of futility intact.

Daniel Sedin scored the overtime winner and added two assists as the Vancouver Canucks won 3-2 Wednesday night and handed the Oilers their ninth consecutive loss.

Edmonton held a 2-1 lead late in the third but the Canucks were able to tie it up on a four-on-three advantage with just 4:06 remaining. Vancouver defenceman Sami Salo came in from the point and leaned into a blast that beat Edmonton starter Devan Dubnyk to send the game to extra time.

The Canucks finished the job 1:39 into overtime on another four-on-three as Henrik Sedin made a perfect pass to twin brother Daniel in front of the goal for an easy tap in.

“It was great to be able to come back on the road,” Daniel Sedin said. “We knew it was going to be a tough game and probably come down to the wire. We were lucky that they took a couple of penalties late in the game that we were able to score on.”

Alex Burrows also scored and Henrik Sedin had three assists for the Canucks (29-18-2) who have now won two in a row since ending a three-game skid.

“I think five-on-five they played a little bit better than we did in the first two periods but we came along in the third and obviously our power play was real good tonight and was able to win us the game,” said Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault. “Roberto (Luongo) gave up a couple of rebounds that were uncharacteristic but when the game was on the line and he needed to make the big saves he did. He gave us the opportunity to get to overtime and win it.”

Sam Gagner and Sheldon Souray replied for the Oilers (16-27-6) who have only one win in their last 17 games and are in the midst of their worst streak since a since a 12-game skid from Feb. 25-March 21, 2007.

“It’s definitely pretty frustrating the way we’ve been losing games lately,” Gagner said. “We had a lot of passion and intensity and played the game the right way. We have to regroup and use our anger the right way and be better.”

Oilers head coach Pat Quinn said his team’s inability to kill penalties, allowing all three goals on Vancouver man advantages, was the difference on the night.

“Those guys, they eat those situations up, that four-on-three stuff,” he said. “That’s there game. We could obviously have done better there but I guess that’s why we are 29th on the penalty kill. We don’t do a very good job.”

Quinn wasn’t very happy with the call on Denis Grebeshkov that gave the Canucks the power play in overtime but wasn’t about to earn a call from the league with his comments.

“You want me to get into my kids’ inheritance again?” he said.

“It’s not a good call. There’s no penalty, no action that would warrant a call. But I am not wearing the black and white.”

The Oilers started the scoring nine minutes in on the power play as a bad change by the Canucks allowed Gagner to go in untouched, and he blew a shot top corner past Luongo.

Vancouver responded with a power play goal of its own with just over three minutes remaining as Daniel Sedin made a beautiful cross-ice pass to Henrik Sedin and he put the puck in front where Burrows deflected it past Dubnyk.

Edmonton moved back in front two minutes into the second period after a rare faceoff win in the offensive zone turned into a goal. Marc Pouliot, playing in just his second game of the season, sent the draw back to Souray at the point and he drilled a hard shot past Luongo to make it 2-1.

The Oilers kept it a one-goal game seven minutes later on another Vancouver man advantage as Dubnyk came across with a huge kick save to rob Mikael Samuelsson.

Luongo returned the favour with two minutes left in the middle frame, stretching out to make a huge pad save himself on an Andrew Cogliano backhand to keep it 2-1 Edmonton after 40 minutes.

The Canucks return home to face Dallas on Thursday night before the Stars head to Edmonton to play the Oilers on Friday.

Notes: It was the fifth meeting of the season between the two teams with the Canucks winning three of the first four, all on home ice... Luongo started his 20th straight game for the Canucks, every game since sitting out against Carolina on Dec. 5... Dubnyk got just his fifth career NHL start in the Edmonton net... The Oilers were without defenceman Steve Staois (flu/mild concussion) and forwards Gilbert Brule (flu) and Ryan Stone (knee)... The Canucks were without defenceman Willie Mitchell listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury... Vancouver forward Steve Bernier returned to the lineup after missing the last three games with a groin injury... NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was in attendance for the game.