Canucks blueliner Alex Edler scores game winner with less than four minutes left against Coyotes

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      Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins took a gamble by starting goalie Jacob Markstrom against the Arizona Coyotes.

      But it paid off as the Vancouver backup blocked 24 of 25 shots on the way to a 3-1 victory over the desert dogs. Arizona goalie Mike Smith stopped 41 of 43 shots directed his way.

      Alex Edler notched the winning goal at 16:47 of the third period on a power play, assisted by Yannick Weber and Radim Vrbata.

      Weber opened the scoring for the Canucks at 14:23 of the first period and captain Henrik Sedin bagged an empty netter with 1:09 left on the clock.

      Oliver Ekman-Larsson was the only Arizona goal scorer, beating Markstrom at 15:34 of the first period on a wrist shot.

      In Markstrom's first NHL outing this year, he let in three goals on four shots against the San Jose Sharks before being pulled.

      Eddie Lack is expected to be back between the pipes at Rogers Arena on Tuesday (March 24) against the Winnipeg Jets.

      Vancouver has 88 points in 72 games, putting the Canucks in second place in the Pacific Division. They're four points ahead of the Flames and six points atop the Kings.

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