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Kesler, Edler help Canucks trounce Blackhawks

Feb 8, 2009 - 7:19 AM VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) -- The Vancouver Canucks put a lengthy losing streak behind them by making a loud statement on the offensive end.

Ryan Kesler scored two goals and set up another and defenseman Alexander Edler recorded a tally and three assists as the Canucks cruised to a 7-3 triumph over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

Veteran Mats Sundin tallied and registered two assists, Daniel Sedin netted a goal and set up another while Henrik Sedin and Steve Bernier also scored for the Canucks, who posted their second straight victory following a season-high eight-game losing streak.

"We did have a good start tonight," Kesler said. "That was the most important part of the game. I think it's human nature to let up a little bit, but we had a good last 10 minutes of the game.

"We're doing all the right things. It was just a matter of time the puck was going to start going into the net. We got a couple of lucky bounces, but we'll take them."

Rookie Kris Versteeg scored a goal and set up another while Adam Burish and Martin Havlat also tallied for the Blackhawks, who had won three in a row.

"We have no excuses. We weren't ready to play," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "It was like the game we were looking for the last three games, same recipe. We were looking for a start, and we didn't get it tonight. Certainly, they got the start. That probably made the difference."

Cristobal Huet allowed three goals on nine shots before being relieved by Nikolai Khabibulin after one period. Khabibulin made 13 saves for the Blackhawks, who surrendered six straight tallies in the first 27 minutes, 41 seconds of play in falling to 4-2-0 on their current eight-game road trip.

The trek is the second-longest in franchise history and the lengthiest for any team in the NHL this season.

Henrik Sedin opened the scoring 53 seconds into the game and Sundin followed with a power-play tally 2:09 later. Kesler gave Vancouver a 3-0 bulge with 6:10 left in the session.

"It's something that we've been searching for for some time now with our group," Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said. "I think the catalyst on that line has got to be Ryan Kesler right now. He's playing with a lot of energy, a lot of confidence with the puck, and he's playing hard at both ends of the rink right now. He's playing real well."

Vancouver's surge continued as Bernier netted his 12th goal of the season by lifting backhander over the shoulder of Khabibulin 2:08 into the second.

Daniel Sedin ballooned the lead to 5-0 with his 23rd tally of the season, beating Khabibulin with a wrist shot while stationed on the doorstep during a man advantage at 5:41 of the session.

"That's huge," Vigneault said. "Tonight, the power play was the thing that gave us the momentum tonight. We had some quality chances. We were able to find the back of the net. We got a few breaks, obviously, but you get the breaks from hard work."

Edler scored the Canucks' fourth power-play goal of the contest with 7:41 remaining in the period, making it a six-goal cushion.

"I think it's important to realize that we did get a lot of our goals on the power play," Sundin said. "(At) 5-on-5, I thought it was a pretty close game. We didn't dominate them 5-on-5. Even though the score was the way it was tonight, I think we need to realize, as I said, we got some good bounces and some quick goals tonight that might not come the next game, so we have to work hard and keep trying to improve our game."

Chicago finally solved All-Star Roberto Luongo with 68 seconds left in the middle session, as Versteeg notched his 15th goal of the season.

"We have a lot of character on this team. We never quit," Versteeg said. "It doesn't matter if we're winning, 6-0, or losing, 6-0, we really still want to bring it. That's what we did tonight. I think we showed our character tonight, and that will always help out going into next game with a lot of momentum."

Burish and Havlat tallied 2 1/2 minutes apart midway through the third, but Kesler squashed any thoughts of a miraculous comeback with a wrist shot from the low slot with 6:51 left.

"At 6-0, obviously we had a little letdown there early in the third," Vigneault said. "But besides that, I'm really happy with the effort and the execution."

"We generated," Quenneville said. "We score on that power play, we score on the delayed penalty, it's 6-4 and there's a lot of hockey left. You never know. But that's certainly too big a hole - gigantic."

Luongo made 36 saves in improving to 2-2-3 since returning from a groin injury on January 15.

"It was big," Luongo said. "Obviously, we haven't had much success at home lately, so the last two games was huge - especially the fashion we did tonight. It's great to do that, and now the boys are excited to get on the road here and spend some time as a team and really focus on our game."