Canucks outlast Flames in shootout, dimming Calgary's playoff hopes

Andrei Kuzmenko scored in the shootout and the Vancouver Canucks handed the visiting Calgary Flames a devastating 3-2 loss on Saturday.

The result means Calgary (37-27-16) now sits one point behind the Winnipeg Jets for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Flames have two games left on their regular-season schedule while the Jets have three.

Kuzmenko skated wide of the Flames net, then fired a shot up into the top corner to secure the win.

Elias Lindholm and Nazem Kadri put away third-period goals for the Flames to force extra time.

Calgary's Jacob Markstrom stopped 31-of-33 shots and Thatcher Demko made 41 saves for Vancouver, who played their final home game of the season.

WATCH l Kuzmenko scores in shootout to lift Canucks past Flames:

Vancouver took a 2-0 lead into the third but couldn't withstand Calgary's pressure in the final period.

The Flames levelled the score at 2-2 midway through the frame when Noah Hanifin sent a puck to Kadri at the side of the net and he batted a shot in between Demko. The goal, Kadri's 24th of the campaign, came at the 6:07 mark.

Moments earlier, Demko was forced to make an unusual play when his stick was knocked out of his hands on a Calgary power play. The puck landed on top of the Vancouver net and the goalie clamoured to get a glove on top of it, prompting a whistle from the officials.

Calgary bit into the home side's lead 38 seconds into the third.

POINT 99 COMING IN STYLE❗️ <a href="https://t.co/JhjXc1IZZu">pic.twitter.com/JhjXc1IZZu</a>

Tyler Toffoli sent a pass to Dillon Dube, who dished it off to Lindholm and the Swedish forward fired a shot past Demko from the faceoff circle to make it 2-1 with his eighth shot of the night and 22nd goal of the season.

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