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Canucks top Jackets for 50th win

Mar 28, 2011 - 1:30 AM Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Cory Schneider stopped 39 shots as Vancouver won its 50th game of the season for the first time in team history with a 4-1 win over Columbus.

With 109 points, a franchise record, the Canucks sit atop the NHL standings with a 12-point lead over Detroit and San Jose in the Western Conference and a nine-point lead over East-leading Philadelphia.

Chris Higgins had two goals and an assist, while Christian Ehrhoff and Henrik Sedin each had a goal for the Canucks, who tied their franchise road-winning streak record with their eighth straight win as the guests.

"We got another great goaltender performance," said Vancouver head coach Alain Vigneault. "Teams are obviously getting themselves prepared for us. I thought Columbus, tonight, played real strong. At the end of the night, our goaltender was better than their goaltender and we won the game."

R.J. Umberger scored the lone goal, while Mathieu Garon stopped 20-of-24 shots for the Blue Jackets, who have dropped four straight and six of seven to fall out of the playoff race.

"Going against the best team in the league, we outplayed them by a landslide," said Columbus head coach Scott Arniel. "We had 19 scoring chances and they had nine. Vancouver scored on four of theirs and we scored on one of ours. We did everything possible to generate offense. We didn't (score enough) and it's in our heads and it's been going on for a few games now."

The only goal of the first period went to Vancouver as a behind the back pass from the slot by Higgins went to the right side where Ehrhoff fired home a wrister at the 7:52 mark.

A scoreless second period saw Schneider stop 12 shots and Garon make five saves.

The Canucks gave themselves some insurance at the 3:36 mark of the third when Sedin lifted a backhand home in front during a power play.

It was 3-0 at 9:03 when a pass from Ryan Kesler at the right side went over to the left during a rush and Higgins snapped it home.

Umberger scored on a sharp angle shot from the left side two minutes later to get Columbus on the board, while Higgins scored on the power play with 2:24 to play to account for the final score.

Game Notes

Vancouver originally set the franchise road win record during a run from Dec. 20, 2003-Jan 13, 2004. The 25 wins on the road is also a franchise record...Vancouver won all four games in the series this season and has taken seven straight overall...Vancouver went 2-for-4 on the power play and held Columbus off the board on its five man advantages.