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Henrik Sedin ends sixth-longest OT playoff game

Apr 12, 2007 - 9:47 AM VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) -- Roberto Luongo got in a few days' worth of work in his NHL playoff debut. Henrik Sedin made it all worthwhile.

Sedin scored with 1:54 remaining in the fourth overtime and Luongo made 72 saves as the Vancouver Canucks began their Western Conference quarterfinal series against the Dallas Stars with an epic 5-4 victory.

Daniel Sedin and captain Markus Naslund each had a goal and an assist for Vancouver, which hosts Game Two on Friday.

Making his first career postseason appearance, Luongo was staked to a 4-2 lead before allowing goals by Antti Miettinen and Ladislav Nagy just over five minutes apart midway through the third period. But the All-Star closed the door the rest of the way, turning aside the final four shots he faced in the session and all 36 directed his way over 78 minutes, 6 seconds of overtime.

"That was probably the most exhausting thing I've ever been part of," Luongo admitted. "Challenging physically and mentally, but we stuck with it and we got a big goal. I was telling the boys that when it was 66 (shots against), that I faced that in Florida all the time."

"Our guys buckled down and Louie (Luongo) gave us a chance, and we won the first game," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said.

With the game just 70 seconds away from being the fifth-longest contest in playoff history, the Sedin twins teamed to give Vancouver a hard-earned win. From along the left wing boards, defenseman Mattias Ohlund sent the puck behind the net to Daniel Sedin, who passed it in front.

Getting in front of a defender, Henrik Sedin whacked it past goaltender Marty Turco for his ninth career postseason tally and a 5-4 triumph.

"It's tough to understand (how good it feels)," Henrik Sedin said. "We were so tired and we wanted to get off the ice. Being up 4-2 and them tying the game there late, great to get the game back."

Dallas also was involved in the fourth-longest playoff game in league history, a five-overtime loss to Anaheim on April 24, 2003 that lasted 140:48.

Miettinen and captain Brenden Morrow had a goal and an assist apiece for the Stars, who have lost five consecutive playoff series openers.

"It was a hard-fought game," Morrow said. "The goalies played great, and they had to fight for that (winning) goal. It wasn't anything we didn't expect. We came here to get a game and we're going to try to steal one in Game Two."

"No matter what, you've just got to rebound and continue to play," Turco said. "We carried the play. But playing well or not, it's all about winning games at this time of year, and we're down one."

After combining for just 11 goals during the four-game regular-season series, Dallas and Vancouver had an uncharacteristic offensive surge in this one. Daniel Sedin got things started 4:20 into the first period, when his attempted pass from near the left goalpost caromed off defenseman Darryl Sydor's skate and past Turco.

Morrow drew the Stars even just 68 seconds later, however, poking in a rebound at the left side of the net during a power play.

Ohlund restored the lead for the Canucks 6 1/2 minutes into the second, when he beat Turco for a man-advantage tally with a one-timer from above the right circle. But blue-liner Trevor Daley wristed a shot from above the slot past a screened Luongo with 10 minutes to go in the session for his first career playoff goal, knotting the contest at 2-2.

Naslund fired a wrister from the left circle between Turco's pads less than four minutes later and Bryan Smolinski, who was playing in his 100th career postseason game, scored at 7:36 of the third to provide the Canucks with a two-goal advantage.

"I'm really proud of our guys and the effort and challenge that they (gave) tonight," Vigneault said.

However, Miettinen buried a rebound at 8:31 and Nagy grabbed a loose puck in the right circle and wristed it past Luongo 5:15 later to forge a 4-4 tie.

Luongo kept the game even with a superb glove save on defenseman Mattias Norstrom less than two minutes into the second overtime and got some help in the final minute of the session as Stu Barnes' shot rang off the crossbar.

"There were times when we didn't even think there was going to be another goal," Naslund said. "To get that one was huge for us. I thought we battled. Two guys went down (with injuries) and we had a short bench, but we battled hard."

Turco finished with 51 saves for Dallas.

"After all that happened tonight, it certainly feels like you wasted one," Turco said. "I surprised myself and felt stronger every period and even more focused and ready and just excited. That's what makes it even more disappointing."