Late Canucks goal sinks Oilers on Boxing Day

Oilers forward Zack Stortini tries to jam the puck past Canucks goaltender Cory Schneider (photo by Getty Images)

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PRE-GAME

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

PHOTOS

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VIDEO

Watch video highlights Post-game comments from O'Marra, Whitney, Gagner & Coach Renney THE OTHER SIDE: Post-game comments from Tambellini, Schneider, Bieksa & Coach Vigneault

AUDIO

Ryan O'Marra Ryan Whitney Sam Gagner Tom Renney Audio Highlights

THREE STARS

Jeff Tambellini, VAN Ryan Whitney, EDM Kevin Bieksa, EDM

UPDATE

With the loss to Vancouver, the Oilers' record falls to 12-16-6.

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Under the Scope

WHAT'S NEXT

Edmonton now returns home for five straight games at Rexall Place, starting on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres. Game time is 7:00 p.m. MST and single seats are still available. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

Ryan O'Marra scored his first career NHL goal but the Edmonton Oilers couldn't hold onto a 2-0 lead, ultimately falling 3-2 to the Vancouver Canucks. The defeat was punctuated by Kevin Bieksa's game-winning goal with 24.0 seconds left to play in the game.

Ryan Whitney scored Edmonton's other goal while Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 30 of 33 shots in a losing cause.

Under the Scope

FIRST PERIOD

Alex Burrows took the game's first penalty just under two minutes in when he hacked on Theo Peckham, putting Edmonton on the power play.

On the ensuing man advantage, the Oilers didn't generate any shots but did manage one shortly after the penalty expired. Canucks starting netminder Cory Schneider easily handled Ladislav Smid's shot from the point.

Andrew Cogliano nearly opened the scoring five minutes in but just missed the net on his breakaway attempt.

In the latter stages of the opening period, Ladislav Smid received two minutes for roughing to give Vancouver their first man advantage.

At the end of 20 minutes, shots on goal were 9-7 in favour of Edmonton.

SECOND PERIOD

Vancouver had a great chance to open the scoring early in the second period. Manny Malhotra came in on an odd-man rush and elected to shoot it on goal. His blast from the left circle was turned away by Khabibulin, however.

Khabibulin was sharp again several minutes later, coming across to kick a Tanner Glass one-timer from the slot out of harm's way.

Vancouver carried a big portion of the play through the first half of the middle frame. Shots on goal were 8-2 Canucks during this time.

Edmonton got into some trouble around this time, particularly with Sam Gagner and Taylor Hall getting caught out there for a long shift. Gagner eventually iced the puck which forced Renney to call a time out to rest his weary skaters.

A few minutes after that manoeuvre worked, the Oilers struck for their first of the night to take a 1-0 lead. The goal came off the stick of Ryan O'Marra, who scored his first career NHL goal. Linus Omark did some nice work with the puck in the left faceoff circle to draw some defenders towards them then put it on net. The rebound came out to O'Marra who quickly slapped it into the open cage for the goal. 

With the two teams playing four-on-four hockey, the Oilers converted again at the 18:10 mark of the second. Ryan Whitney skated in on a two-on-one with Cogliano. The defenceman elected to shoot and made no mistake, putting it low blocker side past Schneider to make it 2-0 Oilers.

Just over a minute later, Jeff Tambellini scored to draw Vancouver back within a goal. Tambellini wristed it top corner glove past Khabibulin for the Canucks' first of the night.

Shots on goal after two periods were 19-15 for Vancouver.

THIRD PERIOD

Vancouver pulled even 2:30 into the third after Raffi Torres scooped up the puck along the side boards and centered it in the slot to Mikael Samuelsson. The Swedish winger made no mistake, rifling it top corner behind Khabibulin to knot the game up at 2-2.

Edmonton really got behind the eight ball 7:28 into the period after Theo Peckham was sent off for cross-checking. Vancouver had masterful possession of the puck through the man advantage.

However, the Oilers penalty killers were able to hold the fort and keep the game tied at 2-2.

On the very next shift, Hall, Gagner and Eberle teamed up for some outstanding scoring chances. Smid pinched and just missed on his close-in shot and Gagner set up Hall with a wide open net but he couldn't get a handle on the puck.

With 3:40 to play, Vancouver looked to have taken a 3-2 lead but it was ruled that Jeff Tambellini had knocked it down with a high stick. The initial shot from Kesler was tipped by Omark at the right point. Tambellini batted it down at the hash marks past Khabibulin.

After review, the no-goal call was confirmed.

Vancouver took the lead for real with 24 seconds left in the game. Kevin Bieksa cranked a point shot from the same position as Kesler and it found its way past a screened Khabibulin to give the Canucks a one-goal lead.