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Canucks Go Out On A High Note

It was the perfect ending to a disappointing season.

In this one the Vancouver Canucks put together a full team effort for 60 minutes in what was their last game in front of their fans for the year.

The game ultimately went to a shootout where the Canucks beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3.

Emerson Etem scored in the third period and had the winning goal in the seventh round of the shootout to give the Canucks the victory at Rogers Arena.

Etem, who was acquired from the New York Rangers on Jan. 8, picked it up towards the end of the season picking up five points in his final five games.

“It took me a little bit obviously,” Etem said. “I kept that in the back of my mind, for sure, as motivation to stay. There are a lot of decisions to be made, but all I felt I could do was work hard and, hopefully, get rewarded for it. That’s kind of what happened.”

Jacob Markstrom had a strong game making 35 saves through overtime and stopped five of seven attempts in the shootout for the Canucks.

The Canucks finished 28th in the overall league standings and missed the stanley cup playoffs for the second time in three season.

Derek Dorsett made it 1-0 midway through the first period after Matt Bartkowski shielded the puck inside the blue line and passed it cross-ice. Dorsett one-timed it from the left faceoff dot past a screened Talbot.

The Oilers evened it up at 1-1 with a point shot from Darnell Nurse that got past Markstrom with 6:14 left in the second period.

Etem put the Canucks ahead 2-1 after a cross-ice rush pass from Dorsett, beating Cam Talbot under the glove with a shot from the top of the circle that deflected off the stick of Edmonton defenseman Jordan Oesterle at 1:21 of the third period.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tied it 2-2 on a backhand redirection in front after a cross-ice pass from Taylor Hall at 7:46 of the third.

The game continued to go back and forth late in the third.

Jannik Hansen who had a very solid season, gave the Canucks a 3-2 lead on a breakaway with 4:08 left. However, Patrick Maroon tied it up once again scoring a power-play goal with 1:27 to play in the 3rd period.

Tied up at 3-3, both teams failed to score in overtime sending it to a good old fashioned shootout.

Markstrom stopped Maroon in the seventh round of the shootout, and Etem ended the season with a quick deke and a shot between the pads of Cam Talbot.

On the night Talbot made 25 saves.

Heading into the offseason, the Canucks must address many holes on the team, and with a high draft pick coming their way they will be adding another key piece to their young roster.

Your move Trevor Linden.

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