The Canucks are Almost Home

photo credit: Vancouver Sun

It’s almost over. The Vancouver Canucks have one game left on their 14-game, Olympics-induced road trip. And after last night’s 6-4 victory in Denver, and no matter what happens tonight in Phoenix in the finale of this sojourn, they have earned a good night’s sleep.

The Canucks outscored the Avalanche 6-1 over the final two periods last night to improve to 8-5 on this trip. Mikael Samuelsson scored three of those comeback goals for his first career hat trick. Jannik Hansen notched the game-winner when the puck deflected off Colorado goalie Craig Anderson, then Hansen’s jersey, then into the net.

“It would have been easy for us to pack it in, especially being on the road for so long,” said Alex Burrows. “But we battled back and showed the character of this group. Every win on this road trip, except one, we’ve come back from two or three goals.”

Vancouver’s last home game was January 27^th, a 3-2 victory over the Blues, which improved their record to 33-18-2 and gave them a two-point lead over the Avalanche in the Northwest Division. Forty-two days later, the Canucks’ lead is four points.

That’s not the lead the Capitals, Blackhawks or Sharks currently enjoy in their divisions, but increasing your edge (even by two points) with 14 games and six weeks in between home dates is impressive. And now with a five-game homestand starting Saturday vs. Ottawa, Vancouver is primed to push the Avalanche farther away.

TUESDAY'S OTHER ACTION (home teams in CAPS)

Calgary 4 -- DETROIT 2
TORONTO 4 -- Boston 3 OT ... Nickolai Kulemin scored game-winner
Predators 2 -- THRASHERS 1
CANADIENS 5 -- Lightning 3 ... career win #550 for Jacques Martin
FLYERS 3 -- Islanders 2 ... PHI's 15th straight defeat of NYI
Panthers 3 -- WILD 2 SO
Canucks 6 -- AVALANCHE 4
Senators 4 -- OILERS 1
Blue Jackets 5 -- DUCKS 2

IN OTHER NEWS
Bruins head coach Claude Julien told the Boston Globe Tuesday that center Marc Savard was not feeling any better, 48 hours after being knocked unconscious by a Matt Cooke elbow. The Penguins winger still hadn't been punished by the NHL as of Wednesday morning.

"It's been a little hard on [Savard]. So obviously it's a pretty serious concussion," Julien said.

Savard has been diagnosed with a Grade-2 concussion and will be re-evaluated over the rest of the week. After that, team doctors will set an initial timetable for his return. Savard had just crossed the blue line and released a shot when Cooke struck him from the side. Savard never saw him coming and took a direct hit from either Cooke's forearm or shoulder.

WEDNESDAY'S SCHEDULE (all times are Eastern)
Stars @ Sabres 7:00
Rangers @ Devils 7:00
Hurricanes @ Capitals 7:30 (NHL Network)
Kings @ Blackhawks 8:30
Canucks @ Coyotes 10:00

- Andrew Bogusch boguschhockey@gmail.com