Ducks edge Canucks for first win of 2004
Canadian Press
1/18/2004
VANCOUVER (CP) - Vaclav Prospal ended two unflattering streaks with a single goal on Saturday.
His second-period game-winner, which gave the Anaheim Mighty Ducks a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, not only was his first goal in 18 contests but it also halted his team's winless skid at eight games (0-5-3).
``This is something we really need,'' said Prospal, who has seven goals this season. ``We don't really gave too many hot guys on this team right now so whoever can score a goal it's a huge plus.''
Todd Simpson, who Prospal says is really the only guy scoring right now for the struggling Ducks, picked up his fourth goal in six games.
Henrik Sedin scored the lone goal for the Canucks (25-13-7-2), and Dan Cloutier made 29 saves.
Mighty Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, winless in his previous five starts, made 24 saves.
Prospal, who signed a five-year, $16.5-million US deal with the Ducks last summer after a career-best 22 goals and 79 points win Tampa Bay, has just 22 points this season and hadn't scored since Dec. 7.
His coach, Mike Babcock, said Saturday's performance is a sign of things to come.
``He's been snake-bitten around the net but we've been talking about him having the ability to break loose,'' he said. ``I think you're going to see Vinny take off.''
Daniel Sedin had a chance to play hero but missed a penalty shot late in the second period that could have tied the game. Vancouver, which recently won eight straight on the road, has now gone 14 games on home ice without a win in regulation time, although they have won four times in overtime (4-6-4-0).
The team's power play also continued to struggle, failing to even get a shot on goal in three chances. Despite all the Canucks fire-power, their power play sat 19th in the NHL going into the game.
``In tight games like these, that's the difference,'' said captain Markus Naslund. ``I don't have the answer for it right now but I'm still positive and I think it's going to happen. We have too much talent for it not to.
``But it has to get going soon because other teams are winning games because of power plays.''
Anaheim also was scoreless in three man-advantage opportunities. The Ducks outshot Vancouver 31-25 overall.
The Canucks were outworked through most of the opening period, but still went into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead thanks to a highlight-reel goal by Sedin.
The centre went end-to-end, first skating the puck around his own net then charging through the neutral zone, where he managed to avoid a check along the boards. Sedin gained the Anaheim zone, feathered the puck between the legs of defender Niclas Havelid, picked it up again and slid a backhand around Giguere.
``I got the puck down in our own end and I didn't really have anyone to beat until the end,'' said Henrik. ``I got a good pick in the neutral zone and it helped me a lot.''
The lead only lasted until 2:16 into the second period, as Anaheim showed why it's always a good idea to put the puck on the net. Simpson pinched in from the point to scoop up a loose puck and fired a sharp-angle shot from the far corner that somehow found a hole between Cloutier's pads and the post and went into the net.
``I just sort of threw it at the net, why not?'' said Simpson. ``Luckily it bounced off his leg and went into the net. I'm not used to scoring so much but I'm getting the breaks. Hopefully it will continue.''
Prospal gave his team the lead at 10:04 of the second when he one-timed a pass from Joffrey Lupul past Cloutier, who couldn't get to the other side of the net in time to make the save.
``Instead of dumping the puck in the corner, Rucchin just slid the puck in the middle and Lupul was there driving the net and he just played it under the defenceman's stick to my side,'' said Prospal. ``Basically the goalie was facing Lupul so there was a lot of room to shoot at.''
Daniel Sedin was awarded a penalty shot after getting hauled down by Vitaly Vishnevski while on a 2-on-0 breakaway with Ed Jovanovski. He went in on goal, faked once then tried to slide a backhand around Giguere, but the Anaheim goaltender stayed with him all the way and got his left pad down to make the save.
``He's a very skilled player and he's very patient,'' said Giguere. ``He held on to the puck at the last second. I didn't want to give him anything to shoot at, I wanted him to deke. I thought he made a great move but I had good momentum and I was able to cover the bottom of the net.''
Notes: Earlier on Saturday, the Canucks traded defenceman Jiri Slegr to the Boston Bruins for future considerations and recalled forward Ryan Kesler, who started the game . . . Vancouver centre Artem Chubarov missed his second-straight game with a groin injury . . . This is the first Vancouver homestand in more than a month to last longer than a single game. The team will play the next four at home before going back on the road.
Cheers,
Aquaman