VANCOUVER -- Roberto Luongos return to the Canucks net was a less than memorable one on Wednesday night as he allowed four goals in the first 12:24 in a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Luongo finished with 14 saves on 18 shots in two periods of work. He was replaced by Joacim Eriksson, who is vying for Vancouvers backup job with fellow Swede Eddie Lack. Eriksson was credited with nine saves. Jordan Eberle had a goal and two assists for the Oilers. Eberle produced his points in the first 7:38 of the game as all of the scoring was completed in the opening period. Martin Marincin, David Perron and Jesse Joensuu also scored for the Oilers. Edmonton goaltender Devan Dubnyk stopped 25 of 26 shots as he played the whole game. Brendan Gaunce, with his second goal in two pre-season games, scored for the Canucks. The Canucks went with several core players among the 10 NHL veterans they dressed, including Daniel and Henrik Sedin and defenceman Kevin Bieksa. Edmontons lineup contained 12 NHL regulars, with Taylor Hall, Nick Schultz and Ryan Smyth among them. Eberle opened the scoring 4:49 into the game as he slid a wraparound in off of Luongo. Then he made the first passes as Marincini and Perron scored on similar long shots 31 seconds apart to put the Oilers up 3-0 before the game was eight minutes old. Joensuu scored Edmontons final goal of the first period on a rebound after Luongo stretched across his crease to make a sensational save on Mark Arcobellos one-timer. Gaunce put the Canucks on the scoreboard just 42 seconds later as he shovelled the puck past Dubnyk, who made his second pre-season appearance. But neither team could score in an uneventful second period and a similarly quiet third. Luongo finished with 14 saves on 18 shots in two periods of work. He was replaced by Joacim Eriksson, who is vying for Vancouvers backup job with fellow Swede Eddie Lack. Eriksson was credited with nine saves. Notes: The Canucks lost defencemen John Negrin and Patrick Mullen to injuries in the first period. Negrin was hurt when he crashed into the boards. He was favouring a leg as he skated to the bench with difficulty. ... Nail Yakupov was one of two Oilers scratched. ... Ty Rimmer dressed as the Oilers backup goaltender. The 21-year-old Edmonton native was never drafted and is seeking a contract after completing his junior eligibility with Lethbridge of the WHL last season. He showed enough at a prospects tournament in Penticton, B.C. to get a tour of duty in the pre-season. ... Vancouver top 2013 draft picks Bo Horvat (13th overall) and Hunter Shinkaruk (24th overall) dressed for their second consecutive game along with top 2012 pick Gaunce and 2011 first-round choice Nicklas Jensen. All other Canucks suited up for their first pre-season action. Fake Marlins Jerseys . 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Sami Vatanen had a goal and an assist and Anaheim used a four-goal first period to extend their winning streak to six games with a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.TORONTO - The Raptors havent had an All-Star player since Chris Bosh left town but that could change this February, especially if coach Dwane Casey has his say. "Im pushing our guys," Casey said after practice Friday, making the case for his backcourt duo, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, to get voted in as first-time All-Stars. "I dont know if we can get two [but] Im going to push two and hope to get one, because both guys are playing at a high level." The Raptors coach initially broached the subject in Miami on Sunday. "Theyre playing like All-Stars," he said. "You look at the other guards in the East and theyre right there with them." Since then, he has been busy campaigning to his peers. "All my friends, all the coaches, [Ive] talked to them about it, texted them, they did me the same way when they were trying to get their guys in last year," Casey admitted. "Ill beg the coaches, bribe them with lunch or dinner, whatever, when we have a coaches meeting," he joked. "But its what we should be doing as an organization, and we are doing it as an organization and Im doing it with the coaches." More than likely, Miamis Dwyane Wade and Clevelands Kyrie Irving will get the nod from fans to start in the backcourt for the Eastern Conference. The leagues coaches will then vote in the reserves, two backcourt players, three frontcourt and two wild-card spots (players at any position). Theres a legitimate case to be made for both Raptors guards to represent the East as reserves in the annual midseason showcase, taking place on Feb. 16 in New Orleans. DeRozan is 13th in the NBA in scoring, averaging a career-best 21.2 points per game. He has made notable strides as both a passer and a defender, once considered to be holes in his game. Hes recorded five or more assists in eight of 34 games after doing so 12 times last year and accomplishing that feat in just five contests combined over his first three seasons in the league. "Look at what hes doing," Lowry said of his teammate. "He leads our team in scoring, hes done a great job of being our go-to guy, hes been a complete professional and he gets better every single night." Lowry has been Torontos most valuable player, carrying the team at the point guard position. In his eighth season, Lowry is averaging career-bests in points, assets and steals while shooting his highest percentage from three-point range. His career-best streak of 24 consecutive games with six or more dimes recently came to an end, topping his previous high of eight straight. Hes fourth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio. "Look at the stat sheet after he plays," said DeRozan, making the case for Lowry. "Any given night he gives you 16 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, somewhere around that margin every game. Thats just what he [does]. He goes out there and plays hard, hes scrappy, hes a bulldog when hes out there on that court. Hes definitely a leader, he definitely wants to win, I see it in his eyes." True to character, both players were hesitant to make their own case but neither could downplay what the honour of being namedd to the All-Star squad, alongside the leagues best, would mean to them.dddddddddddd "It would be an unbelievable, phenomenal thing, it would be humbling," Lowry admitted. "Im sure if either one of us [makes] it, it would be a great time and a great accomplishment and achievement to tell our families and our kids one day." Lowry made sure to follow up that statement with a reminder that he, DeRozan and the rest of the team remain far more concerned with their collective success than individual accolades. The Raptors recent success could be the very thing that nets them their first All-Star since Bosh was named to the team in 2010. "We deserve it," Casey said proudly. "Our record, were ranked at the top of our division, were number four in our conference so we do deserve All-Star ranking and All-Star consideration with our players, because those guys are playing at a very high level." Entering Fridays slate of games, Toronto is one of just four teams in the East with a record at or above the .500 mark. As a team, the Raptors have gone 11-5 since the early-December trade of Rudy Gay with both Lowry and DeRozan - the teams two leading scorers - playing key roles in the resurgence. Although his percentages have dropped slightly, DeRozan is taking the same amount of shots as he was pre-trade and hes averaging nearly two more assists per contest. Lowry is tied for fifth in the league in assists since the trade was made on Dec. 8, averaging 8.4 to go along with 17.6 points. While Lowry may be more deserving of the honour given his value over replacement this season, DeRozan should have a favourable shot at earning recognition from the leagues coaches. DeRozan is highly thought of as a hard working, evolving player and has been universally praised by opposing coaches this season, whereas Lowry has developed a reputation for being somewhat combative. "Kyles showed hes a positive leader," Casey said of his point guard, who - in the final year of his contract - came into training camp with a renewed focus, in the best shape of his career. "I think that was the biggest question among coaches around the league, could he be a positive leader and be productive on the court. Hes done that." "I think theyre [both] very well respected. DeMar has been playing at a very high level, being very efficient, not just a volume shooter, so hes done that. Everything those guys have [done have answered] the questions about them as players. Plus on top of that theyve put us at the top of our division." The Raptors backcourt duo, or at least one of them, could be the beneficiary of a weak Eastern Conference. Unlike the loaded West, the conferences player pool reflects its overall inferiority. Their primary competition figures to come from Washingtons John Wall (19.7 points, 8.7 assists), Orlandos Arron Afflalo (21.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists), Atlantas Jeff Teague (16.8 points, 7.9 assists) and Indianas Lance Stephenson (13.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists). All-Star starters will be announced live on the TNT broadcast Jan. 23 and the reserves will be revealed a week later, also on TNT. ' ' '