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Canucks hold off Islanders

Jan 7, 2015 - 7:12 AM Vancouver, BC (SportsNetwork.com) - Linden Vey scored the eventual game-winner late in the second period, sending the Vancouver Canucks to a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.

Ryan Stanton and Nick Bonino also lit the lamp for the Canucks, who have won two in a row. Eddie Lack made 21 saves.

Matt Martin and Mikhail Grabovski scored for the Islanders, who have dropped two straight since a three-game winning streak. Jaroslav Halak gave up all three goals on 20 shots.

Martin gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 9:38 of the first when he tipped in Travis Hamonic's centering pass.

Stanton tied things when he put home a rebound at 12:09 of the opening frame.

Bonino gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead at the 8:01 mark of the middle stanza. Kevin Bieksa's shot from the point set up a rebound in front for Bonino.

Vey lit the lamp on a breakaway at 17:36. Vey was not expected to play, but was inserted into the lineup because Radim Vrbata was sick.

"You've always got to be ready," said Vey.

New York got within one late in the third following a Vancouver turnover. Grabovski took a pass from Kyle Okposo and ripped a shot past Lack.

"We weren't sharp, we didn't execute," Okposo said. "Even the last three games we haven't been quite ourselves and had that same pop -- that same jump. We just have to find a way to get that back. It's not time to panic, but we need to be better."

Game Notes

New York was without forward Josh Bailey (upper body), but forward Michael Grabner returned after missing nine games with a lower-body injury ... The Islanders placed defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky on injured reserve with an upper-body injury ... Canucks forward Brad Richardson sustained a lower-body injury while blocking a shot in the second period. He did not return for the third.