Vancouver Canucks Henrik Sedin celebrates the overtime win as Edmonton Oilers Nail Yakupovl ooks on during overtime NHL hockey action in Edmonton, on Monday February 4, 2013. The Vancouver Canucks won 3 to 2 in overtime. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
February 04, 2013 - 9:24 PM
EDMONTON - Chris Tanev scored with 19.3 seconds remaining in overtime as the Vancouver Canucks won a season-high third game in a row, coming from behind to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Monday.
With just 2:17 remaining and the Oilers holding a 2-1 lead, the Canucks were able to tie the game up on a long shot from Kevin Bieksa that beat goalie Devan Dubnyk stick-side to send the game to extra time.
Taylor Hall was awarded a penalty shot for the Oilers with 2:47 gone in OT after being hooked down by Daniel Sedin on a breakaway, but Hall was stopped by Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo, who finished with 23 saves.
Jannik Hansen also scored in regulation for the Canucks (5-2-2), who extended their lead atop the Northwest Division.
Ales Hemsky and Ryan Smyth replied for the Oilers (4-3-2), who have lost three in a row. Dubnyk meanwhile stopped 37 shots.
The first period was largely uneventful until late in the frame when the Oilers struck on the power play. Nail Yakupov made a nice chip pass and Hemsky hustled to beat Jason Garrison to the puck before undressing Luongo with a deke for his third goal of the season.
The Oilers made it 2-0 eight minutes into the second as Anton Lander picked off a pass at the Canucks blue-line while shorthanded and sent it to Smyth in front. His shot was partially blocked by Alex Edler but still managed to dribble its way into the Vancouver net.
The Canucks got on the board four minutes later after a good battle by Hansen culminated in his shot from behind the goal-line catching Dubnyk off guard, going in off his arm.
Vancouver held a 21-12 shot advantage after 40 minutes.
The Canucks had a good chance to tie it up five minutes into the third period on a tipped shot in front of the net by Alex Burrows, but Dubnyk was able to make a leaping save.
Luongo matched that with a point-blank save on Jordan Eberle with nine minutes to play.
The Oilers play host to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday. The Canucks are off until Thursday when they take on the Wild in Minnesota.
Notes: It was the second of five meetings between the divisional rivals this season. Edmonton won the first meeting 3-2 in a shootout to open its season. ... Luongo made his fourth consecutive start, despite off-season talk that he had been overtaken for the starting job by Cory Schneider and was likely to be traded. ... Dubnyk has started every game this season. ... Edmonton defenceman Ryan Whitney was a healthy scratch, saying it was the first time in his career to be so. ... Captain Shawn Horcoff returned from missing two games for the Oilers with a strained neck, but left the game in the second period with a hand injury. Fellow Oilers centre Eric Belanger will miss at least a week with two broken toes. Magnus Pajaarvi was called back up from the farm to fill his spot in the lineup. ... The Canucks are still playing without David Booth (strained groin), who is expected to miss another 2-4 weeks. Vancouver is also still without Ryan Kesler, on injury reserve following surgery on his wrist and shoulder, however he did practise with the team on Sunday. ... Oiler defenceman Mark Fistric left the game with a back injury.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013