Official: Vancouver Canucks W00T

[silverpig]

Our shooters have to go in with more speed. Garon and Kipper did well against our shooters because they came out to cut down the angle. Slow moving shooters then have to deke, and then because they're slow, the goalie can follow them easily. Amonte's shot was a great example of a fast approach with a good deke. I say let Park take the first one next time around.

 

[Aquaman]

Canucks and Flames clash... again

Sports Ticker
12/26/2005 11:08:57 AM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) - The Vancouver Canucks hope to avoid yet another loss on their six-game homestand on Monday when they host the Calgary Flames for the second time in four days.

The Canucks began the season 13-1 at General Motors Place but have gone 0-1-3 thus far on their homestand, including a 6-5 shootout loss to the Flames here on Friday. All four defeats have been by one goal.

Markus Naslund scored two goals but misfired in the shootout for the Canucks, whose four-game skid is their season high. Anson Carter, Jarkko Ruutu and defenceman Bryan Allen added one goal apiece in the setback.

Steve Reinprecht scored twice in regulation and also tallied in the shootout for Calgary, which had lost its previous two games.

Jarome Iginla, Chris Simon and Chuck Kobasew also tallied for Calgary, which is in third place in the Northwest Division, two points behind first-place Edmonton and one in back of Vancouver.

The Flames have won four in a row over the Canucks, including all three meetings this season.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[The Godfather]

Replies:6430 Views:2,576

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: The Godfather
Replies:6430 Views:2,576

This thread was in existance before the thread view counter function was put in to place.... so that is why there are less views then replies.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Flames power past Canucks

Canadian Press
12/27/2005 1:16:30 AM

VANCOUVER (CP) - Robyn Regehr scored a third-period power-play goal Monday to give the Calgary Flames a 2-1 NHL victory over the struggling Vancouver Canucks.

Regehr got the Flames' second power-play goal of the game when he took Kristian Huselius's cross-ice pass at the point and beat Vancouver netminder Alex Auld with a rising slapshot.

The Canucks, losers of the first five games of a six-game homestand, missed several opportunities to clear the zone during the power play.

Huselius gave the Flames a 1-0 first-period lead and Anson Carter tied the game for the Canucks.

The win was Calgary's fourth straight over the Canucks, who have not beaten an Alberta club in eight tries this season.

Calgary (21-11-4) climbed into a first-place tie with Edmonton in the Northwest Division while Vancouver (20-11-5) dropped to third.

Vancouver began their ill-fated homestand first in the Northwest Division but have fallen to third, primarily because of a dismal 5-9-4 record within the division.

The Canucks tied the game early in the third period when rookie defenceman Kevin Bieksa kept the puck in the Calgary zone to start a three-way play with Henrik and Daniel Sedin.

Carter swooped toward the top of the crease to sweep Daniel Sedin's pass behind Miikka Kiprusoff for his 13th goal of the season.

The goal came after Kiprusoff had denied Todd Bertuzzi with a blocker save off the big forward's drive to the net.

In the first minute of the period, Vancouver defenceman Bryan Allen's hard blast from the top of the face-off circle caromed off the post.

Huselius, obtained from Florida for defenceman Steve Montador, got the only goal of a testy first period - his second in three games.

Daymond Langkow feathered a pass to Huselius to give him a break-in on Auld behind Vancouver defenceman Steve McCarthy.

The spirited first 20 minutes featured Bieksa besting Calgary centre Byron Ritchie in a fight and a couple of lesser scraps that drew roughing minors.

Kiprusoff kept the Canucks scoreless in the first period when he stuck out a pad to foil Bertuzzi's backhand on a break-in and then stop his attempt to poke in the rebound.

In the second period, Markus Naslund fired a shot off the crossbar during a Canuck power play.

NOTES: Calgary recalled Richie Regehr, younger brother of Robyn Regehr. Richie Reghr took the pre-game warmup but did not play. ... Rugged RW Darren McCarty was scratched from the Flames lineup. ... The Canucks conclude their six-game homestand Wednesday against the Nashville Predators.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[silverpig]

boo-erns to the Canucks lately.

Glad I got to go to the old Coliseum to see Canada beat Finland though... and made it home in time to see the Canucks game too

 

[clickynext]

Originally posted by: Aquaman

Originally posted by: The Godfather
Replies:6430 Views:2,576

This thread was in existance before the thread view counter function was put in to place.... so that is why there are less views then replies.

Cheers,
Aquaman

I bet that if you went back to the beginning of time, people would have already started asking that question.

 

[Aquaman]

Canucks shake-up lines for Predators

Sports Network
12/28/2005 2:43:43 PM

(Sports Network) - The Nashville Predators will look to extend their winning streak to seven games while the Vancouver Canucks hope to end a five game losing streak at home.

In an effort to shake things up, Vancouver coach Marc Crawford has moved Todd Bertuzzi to centre on the Canucks' top line. Brendan Morrison was moved down in favour of winger Jarkko Ruutu.

Nashville is in the midst of its second six-game winning streak of the year after also posting victories in the first eight contests of the season. The Predators have 51 points and are just two behind Detroit for first place in the Central Division.

The Predators' latest win came Tuesday evening in Calgary. Scottie Upshall scored the decisive goal in the third period to cap a 4-3 comeback victory for Nashville at the Saddledome.

Adam Hall, Vernon Fiddler and Jerred Smithson all tallied goals for the Predators, while Tomas Vokoun turned aside 23 shots in the victory.

Steve Sullivan had a six-game point streak snapped and Kimmo Timonen had his five-game stretch halted. Sullivan had to be helped from the ice early in the first period of last night's game, after taking what appeared to be the butt end of Flames forward Chuck Kobasew's stick to his head.

Sullivan returned to the game in the second period and played briefly in the third, but head coach Barry Trotz chose to sit him for precautionary matters for much of the final period.

"They checked me for a concussion right away, but I had no symptoms whatsoever," Sullivan said. "I wasn't too happy about sitting out, but it was just a precautionary decision not to play."

Sullivan said he didn't see what happened on the play, but Trotz said he didn't believe the hit was intentional.

Tonight marks the fourth test of a five-game road trip for the Predators, who are 8-4-3 away from the Music City.

Meanwhile, the Canucks have dropped five straight. All those losses have come on the team's current homestand, which ends tonight.

The Canucks were swept by the Flames in a two-game set at GM Place after losing the finale on Monday. Kristian Huselius had a goal and an assist and Robyn Regehr netted the decisive goal in the third period to lift Calgary to a 2-1 victory.

Anson Carter scored the lone goal for Vancouver, which has lost all the games in its current skid by just one goal.

Alex Auld had 21 saves in defeat.

Vancouver is still 13-3-3 at home this season.

This is the first meeting of the season between the Predators and Canucks. Vancouver is 4-0-1 (1 tie) in the last five meetings and 8-1-1 in the last 10 encounters.

Nashville is 0-7-1 in its last eight trips to Vancouver.

Tonight's game will represent a homecoming for Predators left wing Paul Kariya.

"It's always a special game to play in the place that you grew up," said Kariya, who's posted 37 points in 37 career games against the Canucks. "I spent a number of years here and I don't know any other home."

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

5 game funnk....... come on Canucks

Go Canucks Go!!!

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[sandorski]

1st
2nd
woot Berty
booyah Jovo!
woohoo ohlund
3rd
wooowooo Park


booyah VICTORY!

 

[silverpig]

Wow they managed to pull that one out. Watched it from a great italian restaurant after sitting center ice 9th row for the Canada/Swiss game (and got on tv too ).

 

[clickynext]

w00t

 

[Aquaman]

Canucks beat Preds; end home slide

Canadian Press
12/29/2005 2:32:40 AM

VANCOUVER (CP) - Richard Park hadn't scored in 17 games and the Vancouver Canucks had lost five one-goal games in a row at home.

Something had to give and unfortunately for the Nashville Predators, it was their six-game win streak.

"It gives us that confidence," Park said Wednesday after his sixth goal of the season produced a 4-3 victory over Nashville.

"We're on the road a lot (14 of the next 18 games, so confidence) will be big. When you contribute and win, that's a good feeling.

"Ask anyone. (Scoring) is a good feeling. You relax out there, play more confident. You just have to build on it."

Park snapped a 3-3 tie at 8:41 of the third period when the puck rebounded to him off linemate Matt Cooke and he scooped it behind Predator goalie Chris Mason.

"When we were out there even strength I felt we put a lot of pressure on their defence and it paid off in the third," Park said.

"We had good puck control. Eddie (Jovanovski) shot it in and I just tried getting open."

The win, which moved the Canucks a point ahead of Edmonton and Calgary and into first place in the tight Northwest Division, followed line juggling by coach Marc Crawford.

He moved the abrasive Jarkko Ruutu to right wing on the first line and shifted Todd Bertuzzi to centre. Markus Naslund stayed at left wing.

Brendan Morrison, who's normally between Bertuzzi and Naslund, skated on the speedy third line with Park and Cooke although he had cameo appearances with his former linemates.

Naslund, Jovanovski, who had two assists, and Ohlund also scored for Vancouver while Darcy Hordichuk, Marek Zidlicky and Yannick Perreault replied for Nashville which led 2-0 after the first period.

"When a team's down, you've got to keep them down and not give them any life," Predators star Paul Kariya said of surrendering the advantage. "We didn't do that and it's something that throughout the year we have to improve upon."

The Canucks improved to 21-11-5 after losing two one-goal decisions in regulation, two by shootout and one in overtime.

The Predators (24-8-3) remained two points behind idle Detroit which leads the Central Division.

The Canucks had a poor start, giving up Hordichuk's goal 38 seconds into the game. Zidlicky hit the post on the power play and the puck bounced in off sprawling goalie Alex Auld.

"We came out with lots of energy in the second and I thought we turned the game around even if we came in with a tie," said Naslund who scored his team-leading 21st of the season to start the comeback after taking Bertuzzi's between-the-legs drop pass. "It felt like we the momentum going our way."

The Canucks, with Jovanovski leading the hit parade, played a physical final 40 minutes.

"I think we realized how we had to play especially against a skilled team like Nashville," said Naslund. "We seemed to get pressure on them, get turnovers and get chances that way."

The Predators buzzed around Auld but the young goalie made several key saves in the final five minutes as his club was outshot 18-10 in the third period and 35-32 on the game.

"We were paying the price but the puck wasn't going in for us. (Auld) played well," said Nashville left-winger Scott Hartnell.

Bertuzzi said dropping Morrison to the third line provided more scoring balance that paid off with Park's winner against a tough opponent.

"It was a gut check, coming in after the first (period) down two (goals), not too many people in the building being happy. We knew that we'd have to change it around."

Notes: The two clubs don't face each other again until March 2, then play three games in 12 days ... Vancouver left-winger Tyler Bouck, out since training camp with a torn groin muscle, is expected to get medical clearance to play this week and begin a conditioning stint with AHL Manitoba ... Canuck defenceman Nolan Baumgartner missed a third game with a lacerated right finger but hopes to play New Year's eve in Minnesota ... the Predators continue their three-games-in-three-nights road trip Thursday in Edmonton.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Canucks reassign Ouellet and Bouck

TSN.ca Staff
12/29/2005 5:35:24 PM

Vancouver, B.C. - The Vancouver Canucks announced today that forward Tyler Bouck has been reassigned to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL on a conditioning assignment. Goaltender Maxime Ouellet has also been reassigned to Manitoba.

Bouck, 25, has been medically cleared to play after suffering a groin injury prior to the Canucks regular season beginning. He has not played an NHL or AHL game this season.

In 73 NHL games, the Camrose, Alberta native has recorded 10 points (3-7-10) and 56 penalty minutes. The 6-foot, 196 lbs., right wing spent the 2004-05 season playing for TPS in the Finnish Elite League.

Ouellet, 24, has dressed in seven games for the Canucks this season. On December 17, he got his first start of the season, playing versus the Edmonton Oilers. Ouellet posted an overtime loss, earning the Canucks one point.

Ouellet has played in three games for the Moose this season posting a record of 2-1-0 with a goals against average of 3.00 and a save percentage of .868. He was recalled from the Manitoba Moose by the Vancouver Canucks on December 13, 2005.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Canucks in Minnesota to face Wild

The Sports Network
12/31/2005 11:30:11 AM

(Sports Network) - The Vancouver Canucks hope to stay on the winning track today when they visit the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center.

The Canucks ended a five-game losing slide with a 4-3 victory over Nashville on Wednesday. Richard Park scored the lone third-period goal to lead the Canucks to the win, which salvaged a six-game homestand.

Ed Jovanovski had a goal and two assists while Markus Naslund recorded his 21st goal and assist of the season for Vancouver. Goaltender Alexander Auld had a huge third period and finished with 32 saves in net.

Naslund has five goals and three assists in his last seven games.

Vancouver opens a four-game road trip today and will visit St. Louis on Monday.

Minnesota, meanwhile, will attempt to bounce back after having a three-game winning streak squashed in Thursday's 4-2 loss at Calgary. Steven Reinprecht scored a third-period goal that held up as the game-winner to lift the Flames.

Brian Rolston had a goal and an assist and Kyle Wanvig and Pascal Dupuis also lit the lamp for Minnesota.

Goaltender Dwayne Roloson made 30 saves in the loss.

The Wild will visit Detroit on Tuesday.

The Canucks are 3-1 against the Wild this season, winning the last three meetings.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Red-hot Wild edge Canucks

Associated Press
12/31/2005 9:33:07 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Just 20 games into his NHL career, rookie defenceman Kurtis Foster has become a fixture on the Minnesota Wild's blue line.

Foster had a goal and an assist to lead Minnesota to a 4-3 victory over Vancouver on Saturday night, the Wild's sixth victory in their last eight games.

Foster, recalled from Houston of the AHL on Nov. 17, scored his sixth goal of the season in the second period and set up Randy Robitaille's power-play goal in the third.

''Every shot he sends at the net, they're hard to catch because he shoots so hard,'' Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said. ''He maybe thinks a little more offensively than most guys. It's good to have a defenceman like that.''

Todd White and Wes Walz also scored for Minnesota. The Wild had 37 shots on goal, their highest home total of the season. Matt Cooke, Sami Salo and Bryan Allen scored for the slumping Canucks, 1-3-3 in their last seven games.

''We did some good things, but we also took too many penalties,'' Canucks coach Marc Crawford said. ''We didn't adhere to the things we need to do for an entire 60 minutes.''

Manny Fernandez made 26 saves for the victory, and Maxime Ouellet stopped 33 saves in his second start of the season for Vancouver.

Cooke opened the scoring at 6:19 of the second period, backhanding a low shot between Fernandez's pads. The Wild tied it 21 seconds later, with White's low shot from inside the blue-line sliding under Ouellet's right pad. Minnesota made it 2-1 34 seconds later when Walz poked in a loose puck.

The teams traded power play goals later in the period. Minnesota took a 3-1 lead when Foster scored on a 5-on-3 advantage at 10:56, and Salo beat Fernandez with a shot from the point with 12.9 seconds left in the period.

''For Minnesota, it's too many shots and too many chances,'' Allen said. ''Once they got some pressure in our end, it was tough to overcome.''

Robitaille made it 4-2 with a slap shot at 8:41 of the third period after Foster held the puck in at the blue line, then fed Robitaille a pass.

''He had tons of time and was able to pick a spot and hit it,'' Foster said. ''It seemed like point shots were going in for both teams.''

Allen completed the scoring on a power play at 10:30.

Notes: Canucks defenceman Ed Jovanovski missed his first game of the season. He injured a foot blocking a shot Wednesday night in the Canucks' 4-3 victory over Nashville. ... Minnesota had gone six straight home games without allowing a power-play goal. ... Allen left the game for 7 minutes in the second period after being bloodied when Filip Kuba's shot hit him in the face.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[sandorski]

:|

OMG Dudes, score teh goals 4tw!!!!

:|

 

[clickynext]

The team is really down... I wonder when Nonis is going to start making moves.

 

[sandorski]

1st woot Morrison
2nd
3rd

:|

 

[sandorski]

let's go b1tches :|

 

[sandorski]

Baumer---SHG
Naslund---beauty
Rutuu---PS

4TW!

You just have to know how to talk to 'em!

 

[Aquaman]

Canucks fall hard against lowly Blues

Associated Press
1/2/2006 11:31:35 PM

ST. LOUIS (AP) - The St. Louis Blues finally got off to a strong start at home.

The Blues scored three times in the first period Monday night and beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1.

Mike Sillinger, who had two goals and assist for the Blues, said this was the way things used to go all the time at the Savvis Center.

''It's about time we come out in our own building and put a team away in the first period,'' Sillinger said. ''We have not beat too many teams in the first period and that's the way the Blues used to play. I remember coming into this building as the opposition, and the Blues would (always) come out strong. We did that tonight. The key to the game was the start.''

The Blues won for just the fifth time at home this season, snapping a three-game skid at the Savvis Center. St. Louis still has a league-low 13 points at home (5-12-3).

''It's coming to a head here a little bit for us,'' said Doug Weight, who had a goal and two assists for the Blues. ''We're starting to get a little confident with the puck and play a little better game. We've been on the short end of some games, but we've played better.''

Vancouver has been struggling both at home and on the road lately, losing for the seventh time in their last eight games.

''I think we were flat, and it's happened way too many times for us this year,'' Vancouver captain Markus Naslund said. ''For some reason, we've come and given teams chances to get the lead on us. It's difficult once you're down a couple of goals to get back and obviously, it gives them confidence and boost, too.''

Anson Carter had the lone goal for Vancouver, and Alex Auld stopped 22 shots.

Curtis Sanford made 30 saves for the Blues, and Scott Young had the other St. Louis goal.

Coming into the game, the Blues had been outscored 42-28 in the first period this season. However, St. Louis jumped to a 3-1 lead in the first 20 minutes and never looked back.

Weight got the Blues going 7:40 into the game with a power-play goal when he deflected Dennis Wideman's slap shot from the left point past Auld. Weight has 33 points - 18 on the power play.

Carter tied the game 4:53 later with a power-play goal of his own when he knocked in the rebound of a shot by Daniel Sedin.

Weight helped give the Blues the lead for good when he broke in on the right side and dropped a passed to Young between the circles. Young then beat Auld with a wrist shot at 16:18 to make it 2-1.

Just 2:10 later, Sillinger gave the Blues a two-goal advantage with a similar goal. This time, Dallas Drake came up the right side, passed across the ice to Petr Cajanek and Cajanek dropped it in the slot to Sillinger, who scored on a wrist shot.

Auld, who gave up three goals on 10 shots in the first period, stopped all 15 shots he faced over the next two periods. However, the Canucks could not put anything past Sanford, who made 19 saves over the final two periods - including 12 in the third period.

Sanford was happy to be back in action. When Patrick Lalime was placed on waivers, Sanford was given the starting job. Then he went down with an injury.

''I was really looking for that opportunity to play a lot more games,'' Sanford said. ''That's the first thing that went through my mind when I was injured. I was hoping that chance didn't go down the toilet.''

Sillinger added an empty-netter with 1:39 remaining.

Notes: Vancouver's Trevor Linden played in his 1,200th career game. ... Sanford, who played in relief Saturday against Anaheim, made his first start since returning from a hip flexor injury. ... The Blues improved to 9-19-4 against the Western Conference.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Canucks fold in third, fall to Stars

Associated Press
1/5/2006 12:15:43 AM

DALLAS (AP) - For about 52 minutes, Dallas couldn't get anything past Vancouver Canucks goalie Alex Auld. Then Steve Ott's pinball goal triggered a Stars rally.

Ott, Jason Arnott and Mike Modano scored in the third period, and the Stars came back for a 3-1 victory over the slumping Canucks on Wednesday night.

Vancouver carried a 1-0 lead into the third behind the goaltending of Auld, who finished with 34 saves, and a power-play goal from Brendan Morrison in the second.

Ott finally got the Stars on the board at 12:17 of the third when Sergei Zubov's shot deflected off Mathias Tjarnqvist and then Ott's leg before getting past Auld for Ott's fourth goal of the season.

"It was kind of a mucky game there for a couple of periods," Stars center Stu Barnes said. "We worked hard but didn't have a lot to show for it.

"Zubie had a great shot and we all fed off that. It got better and better after that."

Arnott, who had one goal in his previous 17 games, put the Stars in front 1:25 later when he took possession behind the Vancouver net, skated into the slot and fired the puck past Auld for his 12th of the season.

"The puck hadn't been going in lately," Arnott said. "I had to stick with it and stay positive.

"I'm glad I finally got one in."

The quick goals by Ott and Arnott demoralized the Canucks, who have lost four straight.

"I thought the effort was there until the time they tied it up," Vancouver captain Markus Naslund said. "It's difficult to take something positive out of anything right now the way we're struggling."

Modano added his 16th at 17:34 from beyond the right circle.

Marty Turco stopped 20 shots for the Stars, who had dropped three of four on home ice and five of eight overall.

"We got rewarded for the good things we've been doing," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "It was nice to see the team come together a little bit.

"The third period kind of wrapped it all up."

It was another wasted effort by the Canucks, who've dropped eight of nine.

"It was 53 minutes of playing great hockey," Canucks coach Marc Crawford said. "You have to find a way to push yourselves when adversity strikes.

"Sometimes you've got to push your body beyond what it wants to do."

Morrison's power-play shot from the left circle got through a screen and under Turco's left arm at 8:31 of the second period for his eighth of the season to give Vancouver a 1-0 lead.

Auld was sharp in the first two periods, turning aside 22 shots - including a point-blank effort from Bill Guerin in the second.

Notes: Barnes was back in the lineup after missing three games due to a groin injury . . . A total of 17,227 tickets were sold, but only half the seats were occupied. Many fans stayed home to watch the University of Texas in football's Rose Bowl. Stars owner Tom Hicks, a major Longhorns booster, was in Pasadena, Calif., for the U.S. championship college game . . . The teams considered starting the game at 5 p.m. to avoid a Rose Bowl conflict, but the idea was scratched because of TV considerations . . . Vancouver D Ed Jovanovski remains out with a groin injury.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Jarkko trumps Tuomo in Canucks win

Canadian Press
1/6/2006 1:26:39 AM

CHICAGO (AP) - The Vancouver Canucks got a pair of third-period penalty shots and made the second one count.

Jarkko Ruutu converted with 2:02 left - after Alexandre Burrows missed his chance 34 seconds into the third - and the Canucks defeated Chicago 3-2 Thursday night to hand the Blackhawks their ninth straight loss.

Nolan Baumgartner and Markus Naslund scored 1:10 apart in the second period for the Canucks, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Ruutu was awarded a penalty shot after he was pulled down from behind by Martin Lapointe. Ruutu beat Chicago goalie Craig Anderson with a backhander to give Vancouver a 3-1 lead.

"I have things I like to do and I don't really look at the goalie too much," Ruutu said. "I decided right off the bench what I was going to do."

The goal turned out to be crucial when Lapointe scored to cut it to 3-2 just 25 seconds later.

"I think this is huge for our confidence," Ruutu said. "The bottom line is we have to start winning games."

The Canucks also got 26 saves from Alex Auld and salvaged the final game of a four-game road trip.

"It's huge," Auld said. "We kind of looked at it as a must-win. We had to come in here and really work as hard as we could and just focus on our game and not worry about who we were playing.

"Guys were really going and right through our lineup we had contributions from everybody with good hits, good physical play and a strong forecheck."

Tuomo Ruutu - Jarkko's younger brother - scored for the Blackhawks, who last lost nine in a row from Feb. 17 to March 7, 2003.

"The only way to get out of this is to keep working," Chicago coach Trent Yawney said. "It's all we can do. We have to keep persevering."

Anderson made his fourth straight start in goal for Chicago and blocked 14 shots, including a pad save on Burrows' penalty shot.

"He made a big save on the first penalty shot," Yawney said. "It was a nice move on the second."

Nikolai Khabibulin, the Blackhawks' top goalie, remains on injured reserve with a groin pull and has not yet resumed skating.

Tuomo Ruutu opened the scoring with 7:44 left in the first. After skating down left wing, he fired a rising wrist shot from the circle that beat Auld high on the glove side and landed in the upper right corner of the net.

Ruutu's goal was his first after missing 25 games with a back injury and first since the second game of the season.

Baumgartner tied it 1-1 at 6:22 of the second with a short-handed goal. After Anderson stopped Henrik Sedin's shot from the high slot, Baumgartner went to the net, got free from Chicago defenceman Anton Babchuk and knocked in the rebound.

Naslund put Vancouver ahead 2-1 just over a minute later.

After making saves on Todd Bertuzzi and Kevin Bieksa, Anderson appeared to lose sight of the loose puck. Naslund picked it up in the right circle and fired it in.

Burrows was awarded a penalty shot 34 seconds into the third after he was pulled down from behind by Babchuk on a breakaway. Anderson made a right pad save on Borrows' penalty-shot attempt.

Jarkko Ruutu scored on his penalty shot, using a backhander to beat Anderson with 2:02 left.

Lapointe cut it to 3-2 with 1:37 left on a shot from the slot.

Notes: It was the second time in franchise history the Canucks had two penalty shots in a game. Thomas Gradin and Ivan Hlinka scored against Gilles Gilbert on Feb. 11, 1982, in a 4-4 tie with Detroit. ... The Blackhawks sent F Pavel Vorobiev to Norfolk of the AHL and recalled F Mikhail Yakubov. ... Chicago D Jaroslav Spacek served the second game of a two-game suspension for a low hit on Calgary's Byron Ritchie on Monday. ... Blackhawks F Mikael Holmqvist and Andy Hilbert were healthy scratches. ... Vancouver D Ed Jovanovksi missed his fourth game with a groin injury. Canucks D Wade Brookbank sat out his 10th with a concussion. ... Vancouver D Kevin Bieksa earned his first NHL point with an assist on Naslund's second-period goal. He was playing in his ninth game.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Red-hot Flames visit Canucks

Sports Network
1/7/2006 2:26:33 PM

(Sports Network) - The streaking Calgary Flames will try to win their fifth straight tonight, as they visit the rival Vancouver Canucks at GM Place.

Calgary hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday in the finale of a five-game homestand and earned a 1-0 win. Tony Amonte scored the game's only goal and Miikka Kiprusoff made 27 saves for his league-leading sixth shutout. Kiprusoff also leads the league with 22 wins.

In addition to winning four in a row, the Flames have also taken six of seven and are an impressive 11-3-1 since the start of December.

The Flames lead the Northwest Division with 54 points, while the Canucks are currently third with 49.

Calgary, which is 9-8-2 as the guest this year, kicks off a four-game road trip tonight.

Meanwhile, the Canucks will try to earn their first winning streak since early last month. Vancouver is coming off a win in Chicago on Thursday and hasn't put together consecutive victories since taking four in a row from December 4-15.

Jarkko Ruutu's penalty shot conversion with 2:02 left in the third turned out to be the difference as Vancouver held off a late Chicago rally to down the Blackhawks, 3-2, at United Center.

Markus Naslund and Nolan Baumgartner also scored for the Canucks, who snapped both a three-game overall and road losing streak. Alex Auld made 26 saves in the win.

Kevin Bieksa picked up an assist on Naslund's goal to record his first career point. Henrik Sedin notched his 26th assist, while his twin brother Daniel tallied his 20th helper of the year.

The Canucks, who are 14-3-3 at GM Place this year, end their brief two-game stand Tuesday against the Leafs.

Calgary is 4-0 against the Canucks this season and has won five in a row in the series. The Flames have also taken four consecutive games in Vancouver.

Cheers,
Aquaman