Canucks' Naslund scores another OT winner
Canadian Press
12/15/2003
VANCOUVER (CP) - Markus Naslund is becoming Mr. Overtime for the Vancouver Canucks.
Naslund scored his second overtime winner in three games Sunday night to rescue a five-game homestand as Vancouver defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1.
On Tuesday, he scored all four goals in a 4-3 overtime win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
``It's fun to play when it opens up but we'd like to win in regulation,'' said Naslund, whose club has played four overtime games in a row and has only two regulation victories in its last 17 games.
The Hurricanes' trapping defence frustrated the Canucks, who didn't score until Trevor Linden tied the game 1-1 in the third period. Rookie Eric Staal got the Carolina goal.
``We didn't play the best of games but came up with the big plays at the right time,'' said Naslund.
He took Todd Bertuzzi's pass to the net and beat relief goalie Jamie Storr.
``I saw Todd pick up the puck and tried to skate down and pick up a little speed and I found a hole,'' said Naslund. ``Todd put it in a good spot and I could skate right in.''
Storr entered the game at 8:48 of the third period because starter Kevin Weekes began cramping up.
``For some reason I kept thinking he was going to come across in front of me so I didn't want to commit,'' said Storr, who stopped eight of nine shots while Weekes blocked 22 of 23. ``I tried to stay up a bit but he's just such a great player. But if he tries that again on me, I'll have him ... it's a learning process.''
The Canucks moved a point ahead of the Colorado Avalanche in the Northwest Division. The Avalanche have a game in hand.
The loss was the ninth in 11 road contests for the Hurricanes who are averaging fewer than two goals in their last dozen games.
Vancouver also had a surprise in goal as Alex Auld started for the second straight game when regular backup Johan Hedberg aggravated a wrist injury taking shots at the morning skate. No. 1 goalie Dan Cloutier is out with a groin injury.
``I think that mentally it's easier than having been here for a week and been sitting on the bench and then get thrown in,'' said Auld, who made 30 saves. ``I've been playing a lot in Winnipeg (the Canucks' AHL farm team) and I've got into a bit of a groove. When you come in this situation when you've been playing well and you're confident, then the transition isn't as tough.''
Staal squeezed past defenceman Ed Jovanovski along the boards and beat Auld with a backhand on his goal.
``It's frustrating,'' Staal said of the overtime loss. I thought we played well tonight. I don't know what it is. We're just not bearing down on our chances and putting them in the back of the net.''
Linden, who beat Weekes with a rising one-time slapshot after taking a cross-ice pass from Mattias Ohlund, also said he had a frustrating night against Carolina.
``You can't do your own thing against a system like that because they're going to cause you to create a turnover so you kind of have to keep banging away at it,'' he said.
``We understand that it's hard when you play teams like Minnesota, like Carolina at home and they're not giving any chances up. That's how they feel they can get points and there's a lot of teams out there like that.''
Notes: Hedberg, who backed up Auld, has suffered four injuries since training camp, three inflicted by teammates ... Cloutier says his groin injury is healing and he'll accompany the club on a three-game road trip ... Jiri Sleger dressed for the second time in 14 games as Vancouver went with seven defencemen ... Rookie Jason King was a healthy scratch for the second time this season ... Carolina plays nine of its next 11 games at home.
Cheers,
Aquaman