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Theodore nets shootout winner as Vegas beats Vancouver 5-4 in a thriller

Sedin twins play final home game with Canucks on Thursday
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Canucks’ captain, Henrik Sedin stretches prior to his third last NHL game of his career, as he and his brother Daniel announced their retirement from the NHL on Monday. Vancouver fell to Vegas 5-4 in Tuesday’s matchup as Daniel Sedin recorded an assist (via @Canucks/Twitter).

Brandon Pirri scored twice in his first game of the season, lifting the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-4 shootout win — and a four-game season sweep — over the Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Tuesday at Rogers Arena.

Vancouver came into the competition riding a four-game win streak but sitting 27th in league standings with 69 points on the season. Vegas stood at 107 points, having clinched top spot in the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. The game also marked the second-to-last home game for Canucks legends Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who are retiring after the season.

Tomas Tatar and William Karlsson also tallied for the Golden Knights (50-22-7), while Nikolay Goldobin (2), Bo Horvat and Brandon Sutter scored for Vancouver (30-40-9).

Malcom Subban picked up the goaltending victory, making 21 saves. Jacob Markstrom stopped 35 Golden Knights shots in taking the loss for the Canucks.

It took Vegas four shots to record their first goal of the game, when Pirri recieved the puck in the slot, turned around and sent a wrist shot past the glove of Markstrom.

In an exciting first period, with 20 seconds remaining, Goldobin chipped the puck around Golden Knight Cody Eakin and snapped a hard wrist shot past the blocker side of Subban to tie the game up at 1-1 before they hit the locker room for intermission.

Three minutes and 27 seconds into the second period, Pirri snagged his second goal of the game on a one-timer from Alex Tuch, right through Markstrom’s glove, for Pirri’s second of the game and second of the season.

Vegas continued relentless pressure on the Canucks, which ultimately resulted in their third goal of the game.

Langley native Shea Theodore wired a slapshot that was tipped by Tatar’s foot and past Markstrom for Tatar’s 20th goal of the season, making it 3-1 Vegas with 12:41 to play in the second period.

Canucks defenceman Ashton Sautner thought he had his first NHL goal when he beat Subban blocker side with a spin-o-rama shot in the slot but the play was deemed offside after Vegas challenged the play.

Two minutes and 17 seconds into the third period, Tuch fed Karlsson from behind the net and he rifled a wrist shot through the glove of Markstrom for his 43rd goal of the season, making it 4-1 Vegas.

Shortly after, Canucks defenceman Alex Edler wired a slapshot at Subban, who could not control the rebound, letting Horvat collect and slot home for his 22nd goal of the season. It became a two-goal game with just over 15 minutes remaining.

The Canucks pulled within one goal at 8:21 of the period, as Brendan Gaunce whipped a cross-ice pass to Sutter who backhanded the puck just inside of the post to beat Subban for his eighth point in his last eight games. Sutter’s 11th of the year made the score 4-3.

Vancouver tied the game up at 4-4 with nine minutes and seven seconds left. Blue-liner Alex Biega threw a soft shot at the net and Goldobin tipped it in through Subban’s legs. In a fast-paced third period the score was 4-4.

Canucks fans all over the arena showed their appreciation throughout the night for the Sedin twins, who announced Monday their brilliant careers will wrap up on Saturday in Edmonton.

After a series of end-to-end plays (but no goals) by both teams in overtime, the game required a shootout.

Both Sedins had shots in the shootout, but were denied by Subban before Theodore beat Markstrom to give Vegas the 5-4 win.

GAME NOTES:

Vancouver: The Sedins were the last players off the ice, waving to the fans and shaking hands with the Vegas players after the contest… Jussi Jokinen has six points (1-5-6) over the past four games.

Vegas: Defenceman Brad Hunt was born in Maple Ridge and played minor hockey in Ridge Meadows as well as playing in the BCHL for the Burnaby Express… Defenceman Brayden McNabb played for the WHL’s Kootenay Ice from 2006 to 2011… Karlsson (+46) leads the NHL in plus-minus while Jonathan Marchessault (+37) ranks second and Reilly Smith (+32) is third.