Kassian’s career night powers Canucks past Sabres

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Zack Kassian had the first assist on all four Canucks goals against his former team as Vancouver took a 4-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres for its second win in a row.

Kassian was traded from Buffalo to Vancouver two years ago at the trade deadline in exchange for Cody Hodgson. Hodgson had zero points with three shots on goal in the loss.

The Sabres got off to a fast start, as Tyler Ennis scored on the first shot of the game. Ennis broke in down the left side and snapped a shot past Eddie Lack just 71 seconds after the opening face-off.

Buffalo doubled it’s lead two minutes and 18 seconds later on a lucky bounce. Jamie McBain’s cross-crease pass deflected off the stick of Vancouver defenseman Ryan Stanton and in. Stanton has had three goals go off of him and into his own net over the past three games.

The Canucks turned things around and dominated the rest of the game after Buffalo took the 2-0 lead.

Brad Richardson got Vancouver on the board just past the midway mark of the first period, as Kassian protected the puck below the goal line before hitting Richardson with a pass, who went top shelf over Nathan Lieuwen.

Just 2:36 later, the Canucks tied the game, as Kassian hit Shawn Matthias in the slot with a pass, and he hammered home his 11th goal of the season to make it 2-2.

Early in the second period, the Canucks got the winner on a harmless looking play. Defenseman Yannick Weber broke in down the right side, and as he threw the puck towards the goal, it went up on end and found a way through the pads of the Sabres tender. Weber’s fourth goal of the season was the game-winner.

There was just one goal in the third, as Kassian fended off a check to create an odd-man rush, and then passed over to David Booth. Booth wristed home his first goal in 33 games to round out the scoring.

Kassian’s four points were his most in a single game in his career.

Lack made 16 saves in the victory, as the Canucks outshot Buffalo 36-18. The result gives the Canucks back-to-back victories for the first time since they beat Calgary and Edmonton on Jan. 18 and Jan. 21.

Vancouver will now head out on the road for two games. The first one is Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild.

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