Canucks Are Going To The Stanley Cup Finals

Kevin Bieksa scored the OT winner as the Vancouver Canucks are heading to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third time in franchise history.

Canucks beat the Sharks 3-2 in double overtime.

Bieksa 2OT Winner – Shorty’s Call

Vancouver forced overtime with a goal from Ryan Kesler with just 13.2 seconds left in regulation. Alex Burrows had the other goal for Vancouver.

Patrick Marleau and Devin Setoguchi scored for the San Jose Sharks.

Game Summary:

Alex Burrows put the Canucks up 1-0 at 8:02 of the first period with some great passing by the Twins, Henrik with his 20^th point of the playoffs.

Roberto Luongo had to be sharp early coming up with some huge saves.

More pressure from San Jose but they weathered the storm and still lead 1-0 late in the first.

Sharks got the first power play of the game as Henrik Sedin went to the box for hooking with 5:57 left in the first period.

San Jose got a 5-on-3 for 1:47 as Ryan Kesler got called for slashing. This came just moments after Luongo made two glorious saves off Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture.

Some more stunning saves by Luongo during the penalty kill. Canucks killed off the first penalty and then the second—now perfect in their last ten.

Raffi Torres delivered the biggest hit of the period on Douglas Murray, Victor Oreskovich followed up with an equally huge hit on Dany Heatley

First period comes to a close with the Canucks up 1-0 but outshot 15-6, Joe Thornton led with four shots in the first.

Hits in the first period were 12-9 Vancouver—Keith Ballard and Maxim Lapierre each a three apiece.

Victor Oreskovich had a great chance, two-on-one with Kesler, but he rang it off the post, still 1-0 Canucks in the second period.

Ryan Kesler was hurt in the second after taking an elbow from Dan Boyle; he didn’t leave the bench but was looked after by the medical staff.

Sharks got their third power play at 9:07 of the second period as Kevin Bieksa took a high-sticking penalty.

Kesler pulled up lame and left the ice favouring his left leg; he went straight to the dressing room, he returned to the bench a few minutes later.

Patrick Marleau tied it up at one on the power play after the puck went of Keith Ballard and into the net.

Canucks got their first power play of the game with 9:21 left in the second period after Torrey Mitchell was called for tripping Daniel Sedin.

Sharks were able to kill off the penalty still 1-1.

San Jose got their fourth power play of the game after Vancouver was called with too-many men with 6:22 left in the period.

It remained 1-1 after two period of play.

Just 24 seconds into the third period Devin Setoguchi made it a 2-1 game after Luongo failed on a poke check. Joe Pavelski and Kent Huskins picked up the assists.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic was hit by an errant stick and had to leave the ice with a towel to the face, he went straight to the room. He returned to the ice a few minutes later after some repair work.

Kevin Bieksa also left the bench limping, he also returned to the ice shortly after.

Ryan Kesler tied it up at two with just 13.2 seconds left in regulation with the goalie out to force overtime in game five.

Luongo was sharp again in overtime as he stopped a number of shots early.

Some end to end hockey in the first overtime period with both teams getting some good chances.

Nothing settled in the first overtime as the Canucks and Sharks head to double OT.

Chris Higgins was denied by Anti Niemi on the breakaway midway through the period.

On a broken play Kevin Bieksa scored the winner as the Canucks beat the Sharks 3-2.

Game notes:

Victor Oreskovich replaced Alex Bolduc on the fourth line in the only lineup change for Vancouver.

Despite taking the morning skate, Jason Demers was not ready to play in game five.