VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks pulled out a double overtime winner to clinch the Western Conference Division title eliminating the San Jose Sharks in five games with a final score of 3-2. They are the first team determined to advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs and will face the winner of the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning series.
The Canucks drew first blood, as Alexandre Burrows scored the first goal of the night for Vancouver, with a wrist shot that went past Antti Niemi. The assists were credited to both Henrik and Daniel Sedin at 8:02 into the first period.
The Sharks had a power play opportunity in the second period, which Patrick Marleau found a way to get the puck past Roberto Luongo, resulting in a tying goal at 10:18. His goal was assisted by Dan Boyle and Joe Pavelski. San Jose had been unable to score on two previous power play chances in the first period.
Near the opening of the third period, Luongo came out of the net to meet the approaching Joe Pavelski on a breakaway, but missed the play, as Pavelski passed to Devin Setoguchi, who snapped the puck into the remaining empty net to give the Sharks their first lead of the game.
As the third period advanced, Luongo was pulled from the net with just over a minute remaining on the clock for the extra skater. The Sharks failed on at least two viable opportunities to score an empty net goal, but to no avail.
In the last 29 seconds, a questionable icing call against the Sharks led to a face-off that was won by Ryan Kesler, resulting in a goal with only 14 seconds remaining to tie the game and force the first overtime of the series.
During the first overtime period, neither team could find a way to solve the acrobatics of each goaltender. Luongo had posted 50 saves by the end of the first overtime, to 29 for Antti Niemi.
This was the 21st overtime game during the playoffs, and the fifth to go into double overtime.
In an attempt to send the puck around the back of the net along the glass, the puck took a bounce off a stanchion and went out to the slot where Kevin Bieksa was waiting and took the shot. The remaining players on the ice weren’t really sure where the puck was, as the officials called the goal.
The Canucks won 3-2 in the second overtime, at the 9:42 minute mark.
The Canucks were presented with the Clarence Campbell Trophy and posing with the trophy was Captain Henrik Sedin, and according to tradition, did not touch the trophy as they are waiting for their chance to hoist the coveted Stanley Cup.
This was the first overtime loss of six for the San Jose Sharks in the post-season.
Contact the writer at Shellie.Lima@prohockeynews.com
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