Sharks 3 - 4 Canucks
Final
  for this game

Hodgson's late goal lifts Vancouver over San Jose

Jan 22, 2012 - 1:40 AM Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - Cody Hodgson's second goal capped a third- period flurry and lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena.

Ryan Kesler and David Booth also scored for the Canucks, who snapped a two- game slide. The Northwest Division leaders haven't lost three straight since April 19-24 during last season's Western Conference quarterfinal series against Chicago.

Saturday's triumph was a record-breaking one for Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo, who surpassed Kirk McLean (211) for the most wins in franchise history.

"It was a great win for us," Hodgson said. "We haven't been playing the way we wanted to the last couple of games."

Logan Couture lit the lamp twice for San Jose, which has dropped three of four.

Kesler scored a tie-breaking goal for the Canucks at the 14:11 mark of the third period. Kesler sped down the left wing and shielded the puck from a pursuing San Jose player before firing a shot underneath the crossbar.

Dan Boyle responded 36 seconds later for San Jose. Joe Pavelski made a backhand pass from behind the net and Boyle converted his own rebound, tying the game at three.

Vancouver regained the lead 56 seconds later when Hodgson's intended pass to the net caromed in off San Jose's Michal Handzus at 15:43.

"It's always hard to give one up at the end, especially when you battle back," Pavelski said.

Booth opened the scoring 66 seconds into the contest, but Couture struck twice to put the Sharks in front. He scored on a short-handed breakaway late in the first period, then beat Luongo for a power-play tally at 1:05 of the second.

San Jose netminder Antti Niemi was beaten by Hodgson on a rebound a little over three minutes later.

Game Notes

Luongo made 23 saves, while Niemi stopped 26 shots...Vancouver's Mason Raymond, Pavelski and Sharks forward Andrew Desjardins each had two assists...The Canucks improved to 25-6-1 when scoring the game's first goal this season...San Jose lost three of four to Vancouver in the season series. The three previous meetings resulted in 3-2 scores.






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