Isbister scores winner to lead Canucks to 4-2 win over Blues

[rustybadcock]

Blues-Canucks Preview
Mar 8, 2008, 7:00 PM PT
TV Information
National TV:
CBC (HD)
Local Away:
KPLR

After matching a season high in goals, the Vancouver Canucks hope to withstand two more potential defensive absences against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday in an effort to regain a share of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Canucks (33-24-10) got a short-handed goal from Alex Burrows 37 seconds into the first period Thursday before five others scored in a 6-2 win over Nashville. The season high-tying production came after Vancouver totaled six goals in going 0-2-2.

"We started with a lot of urgency, and urgency was warranted and needed," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault told the team's official Web site. "It was a very important game for us and our guys did what they've done throughout the year: they got ready to play hard."

The victory moved the Canucks into a tie with the Predators for eighth place in the West on 76 points, but Nashville moved ahead Friday with a 2-1 overtime victory at Calgary, tying Colorado for seventh with 78 points. The Predators are idle Saturday, while Colorado hosts Pacific Division-leading Dallas.

Vancouver will try to pull even with at least Nashville, but will likely have to do it without defensemen Mattias Ohlund, Aaron Miller and Kevin Bieksa.

Ohlund, who leads all Canucks blueliners with 22 points, missed Thursday's win and is expected to be out at least four-to-six days with bone chips in his left knee, which could require season-ending surgery.

Miller was leveled by Jordin Tootoo with 1:32 to play and went right to the locker room with an apparent shoulder injury. His status is still uncertain, but the incident triggered a fight in which Bieksa received an instigator penalty for scrapping with Vernon Fiddler.

Bieksa's penalty carries an automatic, but reviewable, one-game suspension.

The potential absences could add more pressure on Roberto Luongo, who made 21 saves against Nashville. The goaltender is 1-2-2 with a 2.66 goals-against average in his last five starts, but he is 3-0-2 with a 1.97 GAA in his last five at home.

Luongo has won three consecutive meetings against the Blues (29-28-10) at GM Place, posting a 1.93 GAA.

Daniel Sedin is looking to build on a three-assist performance that ended a four-game pointless stretch. The left wing, though, hasn't had a goal in a season-high seven consecutive games. Despite that slump, he still leads Vancouver with 26 goals and is tied with twin brother Henrik with a team-high 65 points.

Daniel Sedin has three goals and seven assists in the eight previous games against St. Louis, including a goal and three assists in the last two - both victories.

The Blues, who are 13th in the conference and fading from the playoff race, are looking to rebound from a 4-1 loss at NHL-leading Detroit on Wednesday, which opened their franchise-record, nine-game road trip. The defeat came one night after a 3-2 victory over conference-worst Los Angeles - their only win in the last eight games (1-6-1).

St. Louis has been outscored 22-8 in the eight games, being held to one goal or less in each of the seven defeats.

Brad Boyes - the Blues' leader with 32 goals - had only one shot Wednesday and has just one assist the last eight games, an assist against the Kings.

The right wing, though, has two goals and two assists in the three season matchups with Vancouver.

Manny Legace is also struggling during the eight-game stretch, posting a 2.70 GAA after going 4-0-1 with a 1.40 GAA in his previous five.

The netminder has a 3.44 GAA during a personal four-game losing streak at Vancouver.

Canucks win again. The race to the end (or new beginning) has only just begun!

RB

[Nelson19777]

It's 1-1 now. I think it will end 3-1. The blues got lucky on their first one.

[nicole]

VANCOUVER - Alex Burrows used his patented backhand to perfection on Saturday night.

The Vancouver Canucks grinder scored on a backhand and made a nifty behind-the-back pass on Brad Isbister's winning goal as the Canucks beat the St. Louis Blues 4-2.

"That's my move," said Burrows. "I think guys know it. When it's on, it's on, and right now, for some reason, the bounces are going my way and the pucks are going in."

Isbister easily converted Burrows' pass into a gaping net with 4:12 left in the game.

"(Ryan Kesler) fired a nice pass to me and I was able to walk in there," said Burrows of his assist on the winning goal. "The D-men compromised on me and I was able to get it through to Izzy and that was a big goal."

St. Louis goaltender Manny Legace could do little to stop Isbister's goal.

"You have to rely on your guys a little bit to take away the back door, and I had no chance," said Legace, whose club was outshot 30-25.

Mattias Ohlund, and Henrik Sedin with a short-handed empty-netter with 4.5 second left, also scored for the Canucks (34-24-10), who moved back into a tie for eighth place with Nashville in the NHL's tight Western Conference. Vancouver also closed to within two points of co-leaders Calgary, Colorado and Minnesota for top spot in the crowded Northwest Division.

"We needed these two points," said Burrows. "They were huge and they were there for us."

Brad Boyes scored both goals for the Blues (29-29-10).

Vancouver went one-for-seven on power plays while St. Louis was zero-for-four.

After a lacklustre first period, The Blues delivered a much better effort at the start of the second period. Boyes put them ahead 2-1 at 12:46 after Canucks defenceman Alex Edler knocked his centring pass behind Luongo.

But Burrows drew the Canucks even at 15:58 of the middle session as he raced towards the net on a breakaway and lifted a backhand high into the net over the sprawling Legace. The play has become the grinder's signature this season. He has scored most of his goals the same way.

"It's a good move," said Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. "It's been effective. He's been able to score on that move. Maybe we'll use him in the shootout."

Burrows outraced Blues defenceman Barret Jackman to a loose puck and then cut across the net ahead of Legace.

"There was a D-man chasing me and I just wanted to make sure that he wasn't able to poke it," said Burrows. "So I had to keep the puck on the left side and then (I was thinking) if you have it far on the left side, bring it far on the right side especially against a small goalie like Manny (Legace). It's tough for him to get all the way across and I was able to get it above his glove."

Ohlund gave Vancouver a 1-0 advantage on a power play at 6:30 of the first period. His slapshot hit Blues defenceman Jeff Woywitka and changed direction past Legace. The goal came after St. Louis defencemen took three penalties 51 seconds apart.

"It's certainly not a situation you want to be in," said St. Louis coach Andy Murray, whose club has only one win in its last nine outings. "We served too many penalties early and we served too many in the third period."

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=356348&page=NewsPage&service=page

[KB in Kelowna]

I thought there would be a replay of the Colorado game during the 6 on 4. Nice to see it didn't happen.