Canucks topple Oilers, win 4-1 on Boxing Day

Steve Staios battles for position in front of the net with Canucks' forward Steve Bernier (photo: Getty Images)

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PRE-GAME

Preview Game Notes Head-to-Head Stats Comparison Game Program Video interviews Audio Interviews

PHOTOS

Click here for the photo gallery

VIDEO

Watch tonight's video highlights. Watch Oilers post-game comments with Visnovsky, Deslauriers, Potulny and Quinn Canucks post-game comments with Luongo, Kesler, Willie Mitchell, Daniel Sedin and Alain Vigneault

AUDIO

Pat Quinn post-game at Vancouver Ryan Potulny post-game at Vancouver Lubomir Visnovsky post-game at Vancouver Jeff Deslauriers post-game at Vancouver Audio Highlights at Vancouver.

THREE STARS

Daniel Sedin, VAN Ryan Kesler, VAN Lubomir Visnovsky, EDM

UPDATE

With the loss, the Oilers remain in fifth spot in the Northwest Division and 15th in the Western Conference. They're one point behind Columbus.

WHAT'S NEXT

Edmonton returns home where they will face the Calgary Flames on Monday night. Game time is 7:00 p.m. MST

by Marc Ciampa | edmontonoilers.com

Two powerplay goals in 18 seconds in the middle frame staked the Canucks to a 2-0 lead and they never looked back, defeating the Oilers 4-1 at GM Place in Vancouver on Saturday night.

FIRST PERIOD

Lubomir Visnovsky was sent off for hooking in the opening minute to give Vancouver the game's first powerplay.

The Oilers shook up their lines for this Boxing Day game. Robert Nilsson, Sam Gagner and Dustin Penner formed the top line, Ryan Stone, Shawn Horcoff and Gilbert Brule made up line two, Patrick O'Sullivan, J-F Jacques and Ryan Potulny were line three and Ethan Moreau, Zack Stortini and Andrew Cogliano line four.

Jeff Deslauriers came up with a huge stop 8:30 in while the Oilers were killing off their second powerplay. Mikael Samuelsson snuck in behind the Edmonton defence and fired it on goal. Deslauriers was sharp in turning it away.

A tripping penalty to Daniel Sedin at 12:15 gave Edmonton its first man advantage of the night. Their best chance came just as the penalty had expired when Brule tried to jam the puck in at the top of the crease but Luongo came up with a big stop.

Potulny and O'Sullivan almost teamed up for the game's first goal when the duo worked a give-and-go which ended up with O'Sullivan threading it over to Potulny. Luongo slid across to make the pad stack and keep it scoreless.

Shots on goal after one period were 13-10 in favour of Edmonton.

SECOND PERIOD

Edmonton got into some penalty trouble in the middle frame. First, Moreau went off for goaltender interference then 40 seconds later, Ryan Potulny accidentally cleared the puck over the glass to give the Canucks a two-man advantage.

On the ensuing five-on-three, Henrik Sedin made a nice behind-the-back pass to Daniel who jammed it in past Deslauriers to give the Canucks the game's first lead.

18 seconds later, with Potulny still in the box, Ryan Kesler tipped an Alex Edler point shot in to double Vancouver's lead to 2-0.

Rick Rypien dropped the gloves with Zack Stortini for a very spirited bout near the midway point of the period. The two traded heavy blows for well over a minute with neither combatant able to claim victory.

The fight sparked the Oilers and seconds later they scored their first of the game. Ryan Potulny barrelled through the Canucks defence to get in alone before backhanding a rolling puck behind Luongo and making it 2-1.

Gilbert Brule nearly tied the game late in the period when he redirected a centering pass from O'Sullivan. Luongo was sharp in making the quick stop in front.

Shots in the second were 11-5 Vancouver. Overall, the Canucks had a 21-18 edge in shots.

THIRD PERIOD

Vancouver extended their lead to 3-1 4:14 into the third period. Christan Ehrhoff broke in behind the Edmonton defence and backanded the puck over the shoulder of Deslauriers off the rush.

Edmonton went on the attack following Vancouver's third marker. Luongo made a brilliant save on a one-timer from Visnovsky in the high slot.

A penalty to Steve Staios during the latter half of the period limited Edmonton's chances for a comeback. The Oilers were able to kill off the penalty but found it difficult to regain momentum afterwards.

Henrik Sedin added an empty-net goal to make the final 4-1.