Canucks stretch winning streak to nine
Associated Press
11/29/2002
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Backup goalie Peter Skudra is the latest standout during the Vancouver Canucks' record-setting run. Skudra made 32 saves to help the Canucks extend their club-record win streak to nine games with a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night.
Daniel Sedin scored the winning goal on the power play in the third period. "A lot of guys have been contributing and you need that to happen," Vancouver coach Marc Crawford said. "It's not going to happen if you rely on only two or three guys.
"Don't kid yourself, the guys are happy with what's happening."
Markus Naslund, Murray Baron, Marek Malik and Trevor Linden had the other goals for the Canucks, who are 11-1 in November. It's the first 11-win month in team history.
Martin St. Louis had two goals for Tampa Bay. His second tied the score 3-3 with 8:14 left in the third.
"It's an empty feeling," St. Louis said. "We had prime chances.
"Skudra definitely won the game for them."
The Canucks went back ahead at 13:49 on Sedin's goal from just outside the crease. Linden added an empty-net goal with 26.9 seconds to play.
"Sure, I planned it like that," Sedin said. "I was lucky.
"Skudra was unbelievable."
Brad Richards had the other Tampa Bay goal.
"Obviously we're playing one of the best teams, and the hottest team in the league," Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk said. "The bottom line is we didn't get any points."
Vancouver rested goalie Dan Cloutier for the front end of back-to-back games at Tampa Bay and Florida. Cloutier started the previous eight games, recording a 1.88 goals-against average.
It was the first time Vancouver has played in Tampa since acquiring Cloutier from the Lightning in a February 2001 trade.
"Dan's been playing a lot and they gave me the first game," Skudra said. "I wanted this game.
"I wanted to have a lot of shots and wanted to see a lot of shots."
Skudra made just his second start and fourth appearance of the season. He stopped an in-close chance by Vincent Lecavalier and made a sliding save on Richards during a 2-on-1 in a one-minute span midway through the second.
"It's very disappointing," Richards said. "The amount of chances we had.
"He made some saves I still don't know how he made."
Skudra also robbed Vaclav Prospal on a point-blank chance in the final minute of the third.
The Lightning took a 2-1 first-period lead on power-play goals by Richards and St. Louis. The Canucks entered the game with the league's top penalty-killing unit.
Naslund had a power-play goal in the first. Baron made it 2-2 just 1:03 into the second with his first goal in 39 games.
Malik gave Vancouver a 3-2 lead later in the second on his first goal in 40 games.
"When you work hard, this is what happens," Malik said.
NOTES - Vancouver forward Todd Warriner returned after missing the past four games with a back injury . . . Tampa Bay defenceman Jassen Cullimore missed the game with a left shoulder sprain and is expected to be sidelined seven-to-10 days . . . Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi played in his 500th game . . . Richards snapped a nine-game goal scoring slump . . . Lightning defenceman Dan Boyle had three assists.
Cheers,
Aquaman