Canucks stun Sharks 3-2 in double overtime to head to first Stanley Cup finals since 1994

It turned out to be a classic Game 5 between Vancouver and San Jose and one that will go down as one of the most bizarre finishes to a game in Stanley Cup playoffs history Canucks took out the Sharks in double overtime 3-2. The night’s game winner came thanks to a magical bounce off the glass that went right to Kevin Bieksa who knuckled home the game winner to beat Antti Niemi and send the Canucks to their first Stanley Cup finals appearance since 1994.

The first 60 minutes of the game went as up and down as you might expect with the teams trading goals and trading rushes to turn this game into an instant classic.

In the first period it was Alexandre Burrows getting the Canucks off on the right foot with a little help from Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin as they teamed up on a passing play that’s fitting for any highlight reel around.

In the second period, the Sharks would continue to exert control over the game. Through two periods of  play the Sharks would outshoot the Canucks 25-11 and in the second, the Sharks would get one back on the power play, much the same way they have all series long, and here it would be Patrick Marleau apparently getting a stick on a point shot from Dan Boyle.

In the third period, Devin Setoguchi would give the Sharks a 2-1 lead scoring 24 seconds into the period. With the way San Jose was dominating in shots on goal and in play all around, Vancouver’s task to get back into the game was a tall one.

As the period wore on, the teams would trade chances and with the game into the final minute of play where things would get a bit controversial. San Jose’s Dan Boyle would clear the puck out of the San Jose end as the Canucks were turning up the pressure with Roberto Luongo out of the net for the extra attacker. The puck went all the way down and was touched up for icing. What the officials missed, however, is that the puck glanced off of Daniel Sedin’s back. That touch should’ve negated icing but instead the faceoff came in teh Sharks zone.

On that faceoff, the Canucks won it, controlled the play in the zone where Ryan Kesler would tip a Henrik Sedin shot past Antti Niemi (31 saves) to tie the game up with 13.2 seconds remaining in regulation. What was a dominating effort from San Jose was now reset with the teams headed to overtime and the Sharks playoff lives on the line.

The teams would trade chances in the first overtime but ultimately come away empty with the Sharks continuing to outshoot Vancouver in the first extra period, this time peppering Roberto Luongo for 16 shots. Overall in the game Luongo would prove to be electric stopping 54 shots. Fortunately for him, his efforts wouldn’t go to waste in the second overtime.

There, the teams took a bit more of a selective pace to the game as players grew more tired and taking chances became risky. The Canucks would get a great chance in second overtime as Chris Higgins would get a breakaway thanks to a Sharks mishandle in the neutral zone but Niemi would close the legs up and shut it down.

At 10:18 of the second overtime though, things would get weird as a Canucks attempted dump deep into the zone off the glass would hit a partition and bounce right back out to the point to Kevin Bieksa who took advantage of everyone else who thought the puck had either gone into the crowd or the netting as he ripped home a shot that beat Niemi for the goal sending Rogers Arena into jubilation. For Bieksa it was his fourth goal of the series and fifth in the playoffs.

For Vancouver, it’s their first Western Conference championship since 1994 when they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Campbell Bowl and a spot in the Stanley Cup finals. The Canucks clinched their spot in 1994 thanks to a double overtime goal as well. History is funny that way. For what it’s worth, Canucks captain would not even touch the trophy when NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly presented it to him following the game. Keep that in mind for all of your superstition needs.

San Jose has nothing to hang their head about. Sure the series finished in five games, but the Sharks didn’t exactly play terrible in the series. Tonight they ran into a red hot Roberto Luongo and were vexed by a pair of fortunate bounces for the Canucks. In the series, the Canucks were just a better team and being beaten by the better team is expected in the playoffs. Some folks will talk about them being “chokers” or start lumping this Sharks team with others in the past that failed to live up to expectations, but that’s just not the case here.

Vancouver will now wait to see who they’ll face in the Stanley Cup finals be it Boston or Tampa Bay. Boston will have a chance to wrap up their spot in the final on Wednesday night in Tampa as they hold a 3-2 series lead. Should Boston make the final, it would be their first appearance since 1990 when the Bruins lost to a Mark Messier-led Edmonton Oilers team. If Tampa forces a Game 7, that will be played on Friday night in Boston.

Here are the highlights from Game 5.