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Canucks continue to roll, double up Caps

Jan 15, 2011 - 5:00 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Daniel Sedin scored what proved to be the game-winner in the second and added an empty-net goal in the third as Vancouver held on for a 4-2 win over Washington at Verizon Center.

Christian Ehrhoff and Alexander Edler each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks, whose loss to the Rangers on Thursday snapped a run of 17 games (14-0-3) without a loss in regulation. Roberto Luongo stopped 25 shots in the win.

"I thought our defense played really well tonight," said Vancouver head coach Alain Vigneault. "Coming off back-to-back nights we needed a good night from our defense cause this is a high-scoring team we faced here. I thought tonight we played real strong 5-of-5 and got a power-play goal. We found a way to get it done."

Matt Hendricks and Marcus Johansson each lit the lamp for the Capitals, who have dropped three straight and four of five. Semyon Varlamov was charged with three goals on 34 shots.

"We haven't been through something like this in a while," said Washington head coach Bruce Boudreau. "In the third period we played better, but they played with more passion than we did. We were playing not to lose and that never wins games."

The Caps held the initial lead of the game as Hendricks was sprung on a mini-breakaway and snapped a wrister between the left arm and body of Luongo 5:50 into the game.

Vancouver evened the score at the 8:15 mark of the first as Edler's one-timer from the left point found its way past Varlamov.

Skating on the power play in the second, Vancouver took a 2-1 lead as Ehrhoff's slap shot from the high slot made its way into the net.

Later in the middle frame, Sedin made it a 3-1 game as he buried a wrister past Varlamov on a breakaway. The play was setup when Jannik Hansen poked the puck away from a Capital in the neutral zone to Sedin.

The Capitals made it a one-goal game halfway through the third period when Nicklas Backstrom sent a pass from the left to the right circle where Johansson one-timed it into the open net.

Washington pulled Varlamov in the final minute for an extra attacker, but Sedin put the puck into the open net to seal the win.

Game Notes

The Canucks have won seven of the last eight against the Capitals...Washington hosts Ottawa on Sunday...The Canucks continue their five-game road trip in Minnesota on Sunday...Hansen had two assists in the game.