Canucks 3 Oilers 1
VANCOUVER — Darcy Hordichuk’s third-period goal sparked the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in NHL pre-season action Saturday night.
Hordichuk netted the winner with just over nine minutes left in the game as he converted a two-on-one with Jannik Hansen.
Alex Edler and Cody Hodgson also scored into an empty net in the game’s final minute for the Canucks (4-0) as they remained undefeated in exhibition play before an announced sellout crowd of 18,630 at GM Place.
Sheldon Souray replied for the Oilers as they suffered their first loss in four pre-season contests.
Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo and Edmonton’s Jeff Deslauriers went the distance in goal for their respective clubs as the Canucks outshot the Oilers 33-23. The Canucks went one-for-four on the power play while the Oilers were blanked on their four chances.
The clubs were tied 1-1 after the first period and a scoreless second.
Edler, seeing his first pre-season action, opened the scoring on a power play 9:07 into the first period as he put a bouncing point shot past Deslauriers. The goal came only nine seconds after Oiler defenceman Johan Motrin was penalized for boarding Hordichuk face-first into the corner.
The Canucks had a chance to increase their lead late in the first period as Dave Scatchard had an easy shot towards an open goal after the puck caromed off the end boards. However, Edmonton’s Bryan Young dove and blocked the shot with his nose.
Souray created a 1-1 tie with only seven seconds left in opening frame. His lazy wrist shot from the point appeared to hit someone in front and fooled a screened Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo as he was moving the other way.
Highly-touted Canucks prospect Hodgson played his first pre-season game after recuperating from a back injury that required a longer-than-expected recovery period.
Hodgson took a slapshot from teammate Kevin Bieksa in his wonky back early in the second period. He went to the dressing room and returned a little while later.