Canucks fall in a shootout to the Coyotes
Posted March 5, 2015 9:14 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
GLENDALE, AZ (NEWS1130) – Chris Higgins and Radim Vrbata scored in the final 7:39 of regulation to pull the Canucks into a tie with Arizona, but Sam Gagner had the only goal in the shootout as the Coyotes beat Vancouver 3-2.
The Canucks’ lacklustre play had them losing 2-0 to Arizona in the early stages of the third period, as Tye McGinn scored just his second goal of the season at the 2:31 mark. Tobias Rieder also scored for the Coyotes, as he tallied with one minute to play in the first period.
Vancouver got back within a goal on a nice give-and-go play between Higgins and Jannik Hansen. After Higgins got the puck to Hansen, he got it back on a drop pass and then beat Mike Smith with a backhander.
Eddie Lack was pulled late in regulation to get the extra attacker on the ice, and it paid dividends as Vrbata’s shot from the point slowly rolled through Smith and across the line with just 53 seconds remaining in the third period.
Lack had to be terrific in the late stages of the final period and overtime, just to keep his team alive. The big Swede made three fantastic saves while Vancouver was still trailing by a goal, and then turned aside two breakaway opportunities in the extra frame.
Gagner opened the scoring for the Coyotes in the first round of the shootout, and Higgins, Vrbata and Nick Bonino all missed for Vancouver.
The win snapped a 10-game losing streak for the Coyotes. The Canucks have now lost back-to-back games for the first time since late-January.
Vancouver will wrap-up its two-game road trip on Saturday night against the San Jose Sharks.
