If this was Alexandre Burrows’ last game for the Vancouver Canucks, he went out on his own terms.
The veteran forward scored one of Vancouver’s three goals in the shootout Saturday as the Canucks beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 to wrap up disappointing seasons for both clubs.
Burrows, who turns 35 on Monday and has spent the last 10 years in Vancouver, averaged nearly 30 goals a season while playing on a line with Henrik and Daniel Sedin from 2008-’09 to 2011-’12, but had just 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in 79 games in 2015-’16 in a reduced role.
And with a US$4.5-million salary cap hit next season in the final year of his contract, he could be a candidate to be bought out as the Canucks continue to infuse youth into their rebuild.
“I totally get the business,” said Burrows. “The team wants to get younger. They want to establish a new core.
“At the end of the day I wasn’t good enough this year probably.”
Burrows came over the boards to raucous cheers in the second round of the shootout and beat Edmonton goalie Cam Talbot with a deke to the five-hole before reaching into an imaginary sheaf and firing an arrow into the sky — a celebration in honour of late teammate Luc Bourdon, who was killed in a 2008 motorcycle accident.
“I met so many fans prior to the game,” said Burrows. “There must have been 10, 12 people who said: ‘If you score, can you please shoot an arrow if this is your last game?’
“Luc meant a great deal to me and it was a salute to the fans.”
Emerson Etem buried the shootout winner on a similar move after also scoring in regulation for the Canucks (31-38-13), who missed the playoffs for the second time in three years and finished with their lowest point total (75) since putting up just 58 in 1998-’99.
“Frustrating, disappointing,” Burrows said of the season. “We tried to battle together and finish it off on a good note.”
READ MORE: All 7 Canadian NHL teams will miss playoffs for 1st time since 1970
Derek Dorsett, with a goal and an assist, and Jannik Hansen also scored for Vancouver, while Jacob Markstrom stopped 35 shots. Matt Bartkowski chipped in with two assists.
Darnell Nurse, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Patrick Maroon replied for the Oilers (31-43-8), who haven’t made the post-season since their run to the 2006 Stanley Cup final. Talbot made 25 saves in the loss, while Nail Yakupov had two assists.
“I think the skill and talent is there with this group,” said Oilers head coach Todd McLellan.
“It’s learning how to play and how to manage situations.”
Hansen took a stretch pass from Bartkowski on a bad Edmonton change and ripped his 22nd of the season upstairs on Talbot to snap a 2-2 tie at 15:52 of the third period, but Maroon scored his 12th on a power play with 1:27 left in regulation to send the game to overtime.
Etem gave his team a 2-1 lead just 81 seconds into the third on a shot off the rush that appeared to tick of a defender’s stick before dipping on Talbot for his seventh.
“There’s been highs and lows for me,” said Etem, who has four goals and an assist in the last five games after scoring just three times over his first 34 contests with Vancouver. “It’s about doing the little things.”
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Nugent-Hopkins got that one back at 7:46, deflecting a pass from Taylor Hall past Markstrom for his 12th.
While both teams have been out of the playoff picture for some time, the game didn’t have any meaning at the bottom of the NHL standings either.
Toronto lost 5-1 to New Jersey earlier Saturday to finish last overall and secure the best odds at winning the draft lottery, while Columbus beat Chicago 5-4 in overtime to clinch 27th, leaving Vancouver locked in 28th and Edmonton in 29th.
READ MORE: Edmonton Oilers play last game at Rexall Place – and mark a decade out of NHL playoffs
Dorsett opened the scoring at 10:01 of the first period after taking a pass from Bartkowski and snapping his fifth past Talbot.
The Oilers, who thumped the Canucks 6-2 on Wednesday as they closed Rexall Place before moving to Rogers Place next season, had a great chance to tie the game about five minutes into the second, but Markstrom made a desperation glove save off Jordan Eberle after a scramble in front.
Watch below: Edmonton Oilers players, fans say farewell to Rexall Place
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“I think it’s going to be emotional’: Ryan Smyth on saying farewell to Rexall Place -
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Gretzky arrives at Rexall Place for Oilers’ final game there -
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‘I remember seeing Fleetwood Mac’: Mark Messier gets a few laughs sharing his Rexall Place memories -
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Oilers fans share memories of Rexall Place -
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Oilers fans say goodbye to Rexall Place -
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‘This is a huge night’: Former Oiler Charlie Huddy shares memories of Rexall Place -
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Edmonton Oilers fan goes to great lengths to see final game at Rexall Place -
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Former Oilers captain Shayne Corson back in Edmonton to say farewell to Rexall Place -
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Edmonton Oilers alumni, fans gather for rally before saying farewell to Rexall Place -
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Former Edmonton Oilers coach Ron Low shares his favourite Rexall Place memory -
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‘There’s a lot of memories, a lot of history’: Ryan Smyth says farewell to Rexall Place -
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‘It’s a little bittersweet’: Mayor Don Iveson helps the Oilers say farewell to Rexall Place -
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Three-time Stanley Cup champ Craig Muni shares his memories of Rexall Place -
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Kevin Lowe on Oilers saying goodbye to Rexall Place -
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Former Edmonton Oilers staff members share their memories of Rexall Place
Edmonton kept coming, outshooting Vancouver 26-16 through 40 minutes, and finally got an equalizer with 6:14 left in the period when Nurse’s shot from the point beat Markstrom shortside for his third.
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