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VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks arent used to this feeling. After five straight playoff appearances -- including a Stanley Cup final Game 7 on home ice just three seasons ago -- the clubs miserable 2013-14 campaign was finally taken off life support Monday. It wasnt pretty on the ice or in the stands. John Gibson made just 18 saves to record a shutout in his first NHL game as the Anaheim Ducks defeated the listless Canucks 3-0 to officially eliminate Vancouver from post-season contention. "Not a very good feeling," said defenceman Kevin Bieksa. "Not too familiar. Its been a while. Were disappointed for sure. The last few weeks have been very disappointing." The Canucks played a decent opening 20 minutes on Monday, but couldnt muster anything through the final two periods with their season on the line. Once the hottest ticket in town, the lower bowl at Rogers Arena was dotted by hundreds of empty seats throughout the game, and many of the fans who did show up started heading to the exits long before the final buzzer sounded. The night ended with some in the half-empty building chanting for Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis to be fired. Gillis seemed to criticize the style of first-year head coach John Tortorella in a radio interview last week, saying that he wanted the team to get back to the type of game that got it to the 2011 final against the Boston Bruins. But its clear many blame Gillis for the teams current plight. "(Fans) paid big money to come to these games. Its their prerogative how they handle themselves," said Tortorella. "As far as fans are concerned, thats their call. "They pay money to come see the games. Theyre not happy. They can voice their opinion how they like to." Bieksa said the players heard the chants with the clock and their playoff chances winding down. "Personally I dont think its the right thing to do, but at the end of the day the fans come and they can do whatever they want," he said. "Put it this way: were all going to take the blame for this. Its not just one or two guys. Its the whole team. Were going to take what we get, move forward, push through this." Daniel Winnik, Kyle Palmieri and Matt Beleskey had the goals for Anaheim (51-20-8), which is in a dog fight with the San Jose Sharks for first place in the Pacific Division. Eddie Lack stopped 20 shots in his 19th straight start for Vancouver (35-33-11) since the Olympic break. The Canucks post-season hopes had been reduced to a mere mathematical possibility in recent weeks and it was fitting they were finally knocked off the cliff by an Anaheim team that looks primed for a long playoff run. Known for his outbursts during other coaching stops, Tortorella has been on his best behaviour in Vancouver and that didnt change despite Mondays disappointment. "It doesnt do anybody any good right now to be critical," said Tortorella. "Obviously we didnt play well enough, but Im not going to criticize the hockey club at this stage." Down 1-0 after giving up a short-handed goal in the first, the Canucks came out inexplicably flat in the second, registering just three shots in a demoralizing effort that saw Anaheim grab a 2-0 lead on Palmieris 14th of the season at 17:03. Prior to that back-breaker, the Canucks had a couple chances to at least direct pucks at Anaheims rookie netminder, but both Jannik Hansen and Daniel Sedin passed up shooting opportunities on separate 2-on-1 breaks. Vancouver had just nine shots to Anaheims 18 through two periods, with a smattering of boos just a prelude of what was to comes as the teams headed to the locker-rooms. "We just didnt execute very well. We had a good first period," said Bieksa. "They capitalized on our power play. Its not the end of the game. Were still feeling good. Second period just wasnt very good at all. "If I could pinpoint it, we just werent executing. We werent making tape-to-tape passes. We were creating our own problems for ourselves." The Ducks -- who sit three points ahead of the Sharks for top spot in the Pacific Division and have a crucial home date against San Jose on Wednesday -- basically put things on autopilot in the third to help snap a two-game slide that included Sundays loss to the Edmonton Oilers. "The team played really well in front of me and made my job easier, I only had to make regular saves and if there was rebounds they cleared it out," said Gibson, who became the youngest goalie to earn a shutout in his first start since Daren Puppa in 1985. "Everyone knew it was a big game." Anaheim made it 3-0 against the sleepy Canucks 1:20 into the third when Beleskey finished off a pretty passing play for his seventh of the season. Gibson didnt have a lot to do on the night, but did make a huge save on Niklas Jensen to preserve the shutout with about eight minutes gone in the third. "He looked so much more calmer than a 20-year-old kid playing his first NHL game," said Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau. "It was like Ho hum. After my first game when I scored a goal you couldnt shut me up, I was so happy I was jumping up and down, and he was just Ah, here we go again. "I think its a demeanour that a goalie has to have." Coming of a spirited 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night that kept their minuscule playoff hopes alive, the Canucks didnt seem ready off Mondays opening faceoff. Lack stopped Cogliano on a breakaway 15 seconds into the first period, but the Vancouver goaltender couldnt bail his team a second time after another gaffe a few minutes. With Vancouver on the power play, Winnik jumped on a mistake by Canucks captain Henrik Sedin and moved in alone to rip his sixth of the season at 6:26. Vancouver had a couple of chances later in the man advantage, including a scramble in front of Gibson that saw the puck dribble off the post and stay out. Alexander Edler then ripped another shot off the iron that fooled Gibson, who is seen by many as Anaheims goalie of the future. Those two instances would be among the only highlights for the Canucks, who must now regroup with three meaningless games remaining on their schedule. "We keep preparing as we always do until the seasons done," said Tortorella. "Obviously were out of the playoffs now, but I still believe you go about your business until the last day of work and thats how were going to approach it and I believe the team will too." Notes: The game marked Teemu Selannes final visit to Vancouver as a player. Set to retire after the post-season, 43-year-old has said repeatedly that the city is his favourite stop in the NHL. The Canucks honoured Selanne with a brief scoreboard tribute in the first period. ... The Ducks are 10-1-2 in the second of back-to-back games this season, including two wins against the Canucks. ... Anaheim now has a 110 points in 2013-14, which tied a franchise record set in 2006-07 when the club won its only Stanley Cup. ... Gibson led the United States to gold at the 2013 world junior hockey championship. ... The Canucks host the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. Wholesale Asics Shoes Authentic . Numbers Game looks at the As getting Jon Lester from Boston, sending Yoenis Cespedes to the Red Sox along with a deal involving the As and the Minnesota Twins. The Athletics Get: LHP Jon Lester, LF Jonny Gomes, OF Sam Fuld and cash. Asics Shoes From China . -- The Florida Gators are first yet again this season. http://www.cheapasics.com/. PETERSBURG, Fla. Discount Asics Shoes . The Goldeyes (10-7) lost 4-1 to the Saltdogs (8-9) Sunday afternoon before 5,834 sizzling fans at Shaw Park. The loss drops Winnipegs record to 3-4 during this past weeks seven-game homestand. Wholesale Asics Shoes . Rookie Christian Vazquez got his first three major league hits and drove in three runs, while David Ortiz had three RBIs to break open the game in the sixth inning and lead Boston over the Houston Astros 8-3. METAIRIE, La. -- The NFL Players Association confirmed Wednesday that it filed a grievance on behalf of Jimmy Graham concerning the Saints tight ends franchise tag designation. At issue is whether the NFL was correct to apply the tight end tag to Graham or whether Graham should have received the more lucrative wide receiver tag, a difference of $5 million. The NFLs current collective bargaining agreement states that a player should be tagged according to the position at which he lined up most often. Graham and his agent, Jimmy Sexton, are contending that the frequency with which Graham lined up split out from the line merits the $12.3 million receivers franchise tag, not the $7 million tight end tag. No date for a grievance hearing has been set, but the filing alone could provide Graham with a measure of additional leverage as he seeks to have his franchise tag designation removed in favour of a long-term extension. July 15 is the final day a team can sign 2014 franchise players to long-term extensions. Grahams agent, Jimmy Sexton, did not return a message seeking comment on the matter. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said Wednesday there had been no progress to report on negotiations with Graham. The Saints have asserted that lining up split from the line is a significant part of every tight ends job descripttion.dddddddddddd When asked in January whether the Saints viewed Graham as a tight end under the leagues CBA, Loomis responded: "Isnt that what we drafted him as? Isnt that what he made the Pro Bowl as? Thats what we see him as -- a tight end. "The tight end has always been part of the passing game," Loomis continued. "Hes part of the running game. So hes part of both. So are receivers. So are running backs." According to an analysis by ESPN Stats and Information, Graham lined up split out from the line on 67 per cent of his snaps -- 45 per cent of the time in the slot and 22 per cent out wide. Unless the Saints and Graham pre-emptively agree on a long-term deal, an arbitrator may have to decide whether those numbers alone, under the language of the CBA, would require the league to apply the receiver designation to Graham. If so, it likely would set a precedent for negotiations involving other tight ends who figure prominently in their teams passing games, and could substantially lower the franchise tag number for tight ends who more often line up next to offensive tackles. It could also affect other positions in which players have varying roles, most notably some outside linebackers in a 3-4 defensive scheme, who could argue their right to receive the higher defensive end tag. ' ' '